In the first five months of President Trump's second term, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested over 109,000 individuals. A recent analysis revealed that most of these arrests occurred in southern states and along the U.S.-Mexico border.

From January 20 to June 27, 2024, states such as Texas, Florida, and California reported the highest numbers of ICE arrests. Texas alone accounted for nearly 25% of all arrests. Florida followed with about 11%, while California had 7%. Other states with notable arrests included Georgia at 4% and Arizona at 3%. In contrast, Vermont, Alaska, and Montana had the fewest arrests, totaling around 100 combined.

The data, obtained through litigation by the Deportation Data Project, indicates that the individuals arrested came from nearly 180 countries, predominantly from Latin America and the Caribbean. Mexico was the most common country of origin, with nearly 40,000 Mexican citizens arrested. Guatemala and Honduras followed with approximately 15,000 and 12,000 arrests, respectively. Additionally, around 8,000 Venezuelans and over 5,000 Salvadorans were taken into custody.

Experts attribute the concentration of arrests in southern and border states to several factors, including geography, demographics, and local law enforcement cooperation with ICE. Kathleen Bush-Joseph, a policy analyst at the Migration Policy Institute, noted that ICE often focuses its resources in areas where local policies allow collaboration with federal immigration authorities. She stated, "It's easier for ICE to be picking people up from state and local jails where there's cooperation."

In contrast, states with sanctuary policies may require ICE to allocate more resources for at-large arrests. Bush-Joseph explained that the countries of origin for those arrested align with broader immigration trends, as Latin American and Caribbean immigrants made up 84% of all unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. in 2023.

ICE's mandate includes arresting, detaining, and deporting individuals living in the U.S. illegally, as well as noncitizens who lose their legal status due to criminal activity. Under the Trump administration, ICE has expanded its focus, reversing previous limits on arrests and allowing agents to detain a wider range of individuals, including those without criminal records.

Todd Lyons, the acting ICE director, emphasized that while the agency prioritizes violent offenders, anyone found in violation of federal immigration law will be taken into custody. As of mid-2024, ICE recorded 150,000 deportations, positioning the agency to potentially achieve the highest number of removals since the Obama administration.