Nationwide immigration arrests by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have dropped significantly in recent months, according to the latest data from the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC) at Syracuse University.
TRAC’s report reveals that the daily average of reported ICE arrests fell by 14% between June and August 2025. The daily average in June was 1,124, while in August it had declined to 1,055—far below the stated goal of 3,000 daily arrests.
This decline comes despite a high-profile push to increase enforcement. The administration recently assigned personnel from the National Guard and U.S. military to targeted cities like Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. Additionally, thousands of investigators from agencies including the FBI, DEA, ATF, and the U.S. Marshals Service have been diverted to assist ICE. TRAC’s data suggests these measures have so far been ineffective in boosting total arrests across the country.
Despite the decline in arrests, the number of people in ICE detention has slightly increased. As of August 24, 2025, ICE was holding 61,226 individuals in detention. This increase in the detainee population is noted even as the number of detention facilities ICE reportedly uses has fallen from 201 in June to 186 in August.
The report also highlights that a significant majority of those detained—70.3%, or 43,021 individuals—have no criminal conviction, with many of those who do have a record having committed only minor offenses, such as traffic violations.
Further data from TRAC’s Detention Quick Facts tool provides more detail. During fiscal year 2025, ICE has relied on detention facilities in Texas to house the most people. The Adams County Det Center in Natchez, Mississippi, held the largest number of ICE detainees so far, averaging 2,170 per day in August.
The data for July 2025 shows that out of the 31,273 people booked into detention by ICE, 27,475 were arrested by ICE itself, while 3,798 were arrested by CBP. Additionally, ICE’s Alternatives to Detention (ATD) programs are currently monitoring 182,584 families and single individuals, with the San Francisco area office having the highest number in its ATD monitoring programs.
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.
