U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested about 65,000 people over the first 100 days of the new administration, marking a major increase over the Biden years but far from the mass deportations that President Trump promised.
ICE said 75% of those it arrested had criminal records, which the agency said fulfills Mr. Trump’s vow to prioritize the most dangerous illegal immigrants first.
Actual deportations are down somewhat from the same period under President Joseph R. Biden, but officials said that’s because Mr. Trump has largely sealed off the border, so many new cases aren’t coming from there.
All told, Todd Lyons, the acting ICE director, said it’s deported about 65,000 migrants, which works out to 650 a day.
During roughly the same period last year, that number was more than 750 a day.
Mr. Lyons credited Mr. Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem for unshackling his agency.
“During President Trump’s first 100 days, ICE alone has arrested over 65,000 illegal aliens — including 2,288 gang members from Tren de Aragua, MS-13, 18th Street and other gangs. Additionally, 1,329 were accused or convicted of sex offenses, and 498 were accused or convicted of murder,” Mr. Lyons said.
The 650 arrests per day average is up dramatically versus last year, when ICE was averaging 250 a day.
The new administration has had to work hard for that increase.
Ms. Noem has deputized other federal law enforcement divisions such as the FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration to help provide manpower for at-large arrests.
And despite some high-profile resistance by sanctuary jurisdictions, ICE said it’s getting increasing cooperation.
Since Jan. 20, ICE said it has worked out 444 new cooperative agreements with state and local law enforcement agencies, or what’s known as 287(g) agreements.
