U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced a significant enforcement operation on January 27, 2025, reporting the arrest of 1,179 individuals in a single day. Additionally, 853 detainers were lodged against noncitizens in law enforcement custody across various jurisdictions.
These figures were compiled as of midnight, according to ICE. As The Washington Post reported, the Trump administration has issued quotas to ICE officers to ramp up arrests, aiming to increase the daily number of apprehensions from a few hundred to at least 1,200 to 1,500.
ICE has significantly increased its immigration enforcement activities under the Trump administration. The surge in enforcement began on January 23, 2025, with 538 arrests and 373 detainers lodged. The crackdown continued on January 24 with 593 arrests and 449 detainers, followed by 286 arrests and 421 detainers on January 25. On January 26, ICE reported 956 arrests and 554 detainers lodged.
Under President Joe Biden, ICE averaged approximately 282 arrests per day in September 2024, with an average of around 310 arrests per day for the entire year.
The Trump administration has emphasized that its enforcement efforts target individuals with criminal convictions, including child sex offenders, gang members, and others involved in serious criminal activities. However, these operations have not been limited to those with criminal histories, raising concerns among immigrant advocacy groups. Critics argue that the sweeps are also affecting non-criminal individuals, including those who have lived in the U.S. for years without engaging in illegal activities.
The increase in arrests follows policy changes under the Trump administration, which have rolled back certain restrictions implemented during the Biden administration. These changes include the rescinding of guidelines that limited ICE operations in “sensitive” locations such as schools, hospitals, and churches, as well as the termination of certain humanitarian parole programs.
Additionally, ICE officers nationwide are now authorized to arrest and deport undocumented immigrants under the Trump administration’s reinstated expedited removal policy, which took effect on January 21, 2025.
This policy allows for the expedited removal of undocumented immigrants who have been in the U.S. for less than two years, regardless of where they are arrested. This represents a significant departure from the Biden-era restrictions, which limited expedited deportation to individuals apprehended within 100 miles of the border who had been in the U.S. for less than two weeks.
The reinstated policy mirrors a 2019 directive issued by the Trump administration, which was rescinded by the Biden administration in March 2022. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has confirmed that noncitizens who cannot prove they have been in the U.S. for at least two years can be removed without a court hearing.
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Kishor Panthi
View More PostsKishor Panthi is the founder and editor-in-chief of Khasokhas and NepYork. He is the author of three books, “Kampan,” "UNTRANSLATABLE" and “Zero Mile.” He writes about social issues, immigration, and politics.
