U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained 51,000 individuals in July, marking the largest number of arrests in a single month in the history of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), according to unnamed sources familiar with the data.
The record-setting arrests come as ICE ramps up enforcement efforts, including operations at airports. Data from the agency reveals that more than 30 individuals were apprehended in July alone at airports. Some of those detained reportedly had no criminal records and possessed valid work authorization or parole documents, according to an immigration attorney cited by ABC News.
The Department of Homeland Security has not commented publicly on the reported figures, despite inquiries from ABC News.
The surge in enforcement follows DHS’s announcement in June that deportations during the current fiscal year had reached 356,389. A law enforcement source indicated that ICE has been quietly expanding its operations across the United States in recent months.
Mike Howell, president of the Trump-aligned Oversight Project, criticized the current state of immigration enforcement. Howell argued that while the recent figures represent a significant increase, they fall short of addressing broader immigration concerns.
"The point is the numbers remain wildly disproportionately low to the scale of illegals let in by Biden and the promise of mass deportation," Howell told ABC News. He also highlighted the need for greater emphasis on worksite enforcement, expressing concerns over what he described as the potential influence of "amnesty lobby" groups. Howell stated that his organization is pursuing legal action against DHS to obtain what he considers more accurate data.
The higher arrest numbers reflect an intensified focus on immigration enforcement as officials continue balancing operational priorities and ongoing policy debates.