ICE Arrests Reach 49,571 in July, Highest of Trump Term

The Trump administration carried out a record number of immigrant arrests and deportations in July, with federal agents detaining an average of 1,500 people each day and removing more than 1,100 daily, according to newly released government data. The figures mark the highest monthly totals since the start of the president's second term and reflect a steady expansion of enforcement operations across the country.

Data obtained by the Deportation Data Project showed that Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested 49,571 people in July, a 15 percent increase from June. Nearly 34,000 individuals were removed from the United States that month, the highest figure recorded since Trump returned to office in January 2025. The numbers come after a period of fluctuating enforcement that included a dip in February following public backlash over two fatal shootings in Minnesota.

Advocates and attorneys tracking the operations say the administration has shifted away from the high-profile raids that drew attention last year. Instead, agents are conducting smaller-scale arrests that draw less notice. Melissa Shepard, director of legal services at the immigrant services group ImmDef in Southern California, described the change. She noted that officers now often work in smaller teams, such as pulling someone over during a traffic stop, rather than deploying large groups for single arrests. This approach has allowed enforcement to continue at a high volume with reduced public scrutiny.

The data also revealed a significant shift in who is being targeted. July was the first month in the second Trump administration in which most of those arrested, 51 percent, had no prior criminal convictions or charges. This marks a departure from earlier claims by administration officials that enforcement efforts would focus primarily on individuals with criminal records. The proportion of arrests involving people without criminal histories has been rising steadily in recent months.

The surge was particularly pronounced in certain states. Nearly 20,000 of the July arrests occurred in Texas and Florida, where local law enforcement agencies have entered into 287(g) agreements with ICE. These partnerships allow state and local officers to perform immigration enforcement functions, expanding the reach of federal agents without requiring additional resources from Washington.

Monthly arrest totals had climbed from roughly 8,000 in the month before Trump took office to more than 40,000 by December of last year. After the February decline, numbers remained relatively flat before rising sharply again in June and July. The latest figures suggest that limits on where and whom agents can target have been further eased, enabling broader operations.

Immigrant rights groups have raised concerns about due process and the conditions faced by those detained. The increase in arrests of individuals without criminal histories has prompted questions about whether enforcement priorities are expanding beyond the administration's stated focus on public safety threats. Government data analyzed by The Associated Press through the Deportation Data Project confirms the scale of the operations and the changing profile of those affected.

As enforcement continues at this pace, legal service providers report growing caseloads and challenges in providing representation to those swept up in the arrests. The quieter tactics have not reduced the overall impact on immigrant communities, according to advocates monitoring the situation nationwide.