Trump administration arrests a record 2,200 immigrants in a day: Report

Indian Express

2 days ago

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has carried out the most immigrant arrests in a single day in its history, detaining more than 2,200 people on Tuesday, according to a report by NBC News. The mass operation comes amid mounting pressure from top Trump aides, including Stephen Miller and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who reportedly instructed ICE to aim for 3,000 arrests a day.
Most of those arrested were enrolled in ICE's Alternatives to Detention (ATD) program—a monitoring system intended for undocumented immigrants deemed low-risk. These individuals are typically tracked using ankle monitors, smartphone apps, or GPS technology, and are required to attend periodic check-ins with ICE officials.
In an apparent shift in enforcement tactics, ICE sent mass text messages instructing individuals in the ATD program to report to local ICE offices ahead of their scheduled check-ins. Upon arrival, many were arrested without prior notice. In one instance, seven individuals—including a 30-year-old Colombian man described as fully compliant—were handcuffed and transported in unmarked vehicles after attending their check-ins.
The move has triggered alarm across legal and advocacy circles. 'He was very cooperative with all of the requirements that were made of him,' said Margaret Cargioli, directing attorney at the Immigrant Defenders Law Center, referring to the Colombian detainee. Many attorneys report that some clients arrested did not have final orders of removal, despite ICE's claim that only those with such orders were targeted.
This evolving strategy has created what immigration lawyers describe as a dangerous double bind: if immigrants appear for check-ins, they risk immediate detention; if they don't, they risk being penalised for noncompliance.
Greg Chen, senior director of government relations at the American Immigration Lawyers Association, condemned the raids as 'indiscriminate and mass scale' enforcement. 'People are now increasingly afraid and intimidated,' he said.
The Biden-era ATD programme was praised for ensuring a high compliance rate—98.5 per cent of participants regularly attended check-ins. Critics argue that targeting this group undermines trust and prioritises optics over security.