2 days ago
Map Shows New ICE Arrests by Country of Citizenship
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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Newly released statistics from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) documented 26,606 arrests between October and December 2024.
Drawing on data from the ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Statistics dashboard, Newsweek has created this map to highlight the countries of citizenship of those detained.
The latest figures available under former President Joe Biden's administration showed that individuals from Mexico accounted for more than 40 percent of those arrested, making it the single largest national group during this period.
Newly released statistics from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) documented 26,606 arrests between October and December 2024.
Newly released statistics from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) documented 26,606 arrests between October and December 2024.
ICE
Why It Matters
President Donald Trump's hard-line immigration agenda has thrust ICE into the forefront of the national conversation surrounding immigration enforcement.
Since the beginning of Trump's second term, thousands of suspected undocumented migrants have been arrested. The administration has empowered ICE and expanded its enforcement remit, with it now able to conduct raids in or near sensitive locations such as churches, hospitals, and schools.
Critics argue that these immigration raids instill fear in vulnerable communities and may infringe on constitutional protections against unreasonable searches and seizures. Concerns over warrantless arrests, unauthorized data collection, and detentions without probable cause could lead to legal challenges over the balance between enforcement and individual rights.
What To Know
The top countries of citizenship among those arrested were overwhelmingly from Latin America, with Mexico leading by a wide margin at 11,586 arrests. This was followed by Guatemala (3,202), Honduras (3,167), El Salvador (1,230), and Nicaragua (1,141). Other notable countries included Venezuela (965), Ecuador (796), Colombia (419), Brazil (349), and Peru (298).
Outside Latin America, arrests included individuals from China (171), Romania (115), Russia (57), the United Kingdom (25), and Canada (23).
Data shows insight into the national scope of ICE operations amid ongoing political attention on immigration enforcement in the United States.
ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) division manages all aspects of the federal immigration enforcement process within the United States, including identification, arrest, detention, and removal of non-citizens who are subject to deportation or who are unlawfully present.
The agency's statistics include individuals arrested for criminal convictions in the U.S., those with pending charges, and people who violated U.S. immigration laws, such as visa overstays.
The most recent quarter's data appears consistent with these broader trends, indicating continued high arrest rates for citizens from Mexico and Central American countries.
Following arrest, ICE may detain undocumented immigrants in civil immigration custody, transfer them for removal proceedings, or manage cases through the Alternatives to Detention (ATD) program, which uses GPS monitoring, facial recognition, and telephonic reporting. The majority of recent detainees came via transfers from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) following border arrests, per ICE.
A CBS News/YouGov poll conducted June 4–6 found that 54 percent of Americans approve of Trump's deportation policy.
While over 50 percent of Americans say they support Trump's overall goals on deportation, 56 percent disapprove of how those goals are being carried out. Asked who the administration is prioritizing for removal, 53 percent said "dangerous criminals," while 47 percent believe the focus is on people who are not dangerous.
Many Americans also say Trump's tactics have gone further than they expected. Forty-nine percent believe he is attempting to deport more people than he suggested during the campaign; only 10 percent say fewer, and 41 percent think the numbers are about the same.
What People Are Saying
ICE said in a post on X: "ICE enforces immigration law."
White House press secretary Karine Leavitt said at a briefing, "To foreign nationals who are thinking about trying to illegally enter the United States—think again. Under this president, you will be detained, and you will be deported. Every day, Americans are safer because of the violent criminals that President Trump's administration is removing from our communities."
What Happens Next
ICE arrests by country of citizenship will likely remain under close scrutiny, with further statistical updates expected as the agency continues ramping up enforcement actions across the United States in the coming months.
