ICE detentions hit July record with 46,000+ in custody

Immigration detentions by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement reached a new monthly high for the Trump administration in July, with more than 46,000 individuals taken into custody, according to internal agency data. The figures, which have not been publicly released by the Department of Homeland Security, show a continued summer enforcement surge that surpassed the previous record of roughly 43,000 detentions set in June.

The data indicates an average of 1,500 people entered ICE custody each day in July, as the agency worked toward a White House goal of 2,000 daily arrests. Officials have widened enforcement actions to include arrests at airports, immigration check-in appointments, and communities across the country. As of the past weekend, the total population in ICE detention had risen to approximately 68,000, approaching the record high of over 70,000 set in January.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, who replaced Kristi Noem in the spring, affirmed the administration's focus in a recent press conference, stating that officers are empowered and working harder than ever. The strategy has shifted, however, with current operations being conducted more quietly...