During a peak crackdown on immigration enforcement, the streets of Minneapolis saw a surge of masked agents, while as many as thousands were arrested weekly across Texas, Florida, and California.
General Gregory Bovino, the highest-ranking official in the Border Patrol, described the aggressive tactics as a “turn and burn” strategy. Teams of agents conducted operations in public places, often resulting in dramatic and forceful arrests at restaurants, bus stations, and hardware store parking lots.
Data from the University of California, Berkeley’s Deportation Data Project, analyzed by The Associated Press, reveals that in December alone, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests approached 40,000 nationwide, with similar figures reported in January. These figures highlight a notable trend in federal immigration enforcement practices.
The deadly encounters involving immigration agents in Minneapolis in late January spurred a significant response from government officials. Concerns about coercive tactics prompted a leadership change within immigration agencies. Following these events, the average number of ICE arrests declined by nearly 12% nationwide.
Public sentiment appears to reflect discontent with the current enforcement approach in Minnesota, contributing to the abrupt dismissal of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in early March. This shift illustrates the growing unease over aggressive immigration tactics among citizens.
Variances in Arrest Patterns Across States
As General Bovino, known for his active presence in high-profile raids, stepped back after the Minnesota incidents, Border Patrol Agent Tom Homan was appointed to reassess immigration enforcement policies in the Twin Cities. On February 4, he announced a reduction in the number of immigration officers stationed in the state.
Recent analysis by the Associated Press of ICE arrest records indicates that in the five weeks following Homan’s announcement, the agency averaged 7,369 arrests weekly, slightly down from 8,347 in the previous five weeks. Although these figures were still elevated compared to much of the first year of President Donald Trump’s second term, they were remarkably higher than during the Biden administration.
Notably, arrest trends varied significantly by region. Over the past five weeks, states like Kentucky, Indiana, North Carolina, and Florida saw substantial increases in ICE arrests, some reaching the highest weekly figures since the beginning of Trump’s second term. In Kentucky alone, weekly arrests more than doubled to 86 by early March.
A Closer Look at Arrest Profiles
The Trump administration has frequently asserted that its focus is on the most dangerous criminals living in the United States illegally, labeling them as “the worst of the worst.” While this characterization holds true in some instances, the complexities of ICE’s operations tell a different story.
Although many detained individuals may have been involved in violent crimes, a significant portion of those arrested had no prior criminal history. Nationally, data shows that about 46% of individuals arrested by ICE in the five weeks ending February 4 had no criminal charges or convictions, with that number dipping slightly to 41% in the following weeks.
Importantly, this percentage is still higher than the weekly average of 35% seen since Trump was re-elected. In several states, the proportion of non-criminals arrested has actually increased since February 4, further complicating the narrative surrounding the enforcement strategy.
Ongoing Enforcement Strategies
Federal court filings nationwide offer an incomplete picture of how the Trump administration’s deportation efforts remain robust, despite a slowdown in visible activity. For instance, a young Honduran man with no criminal record sought release after his arrest on February 22 during a traffic stop near San Diego. He is a father to three U.S. citizen children who are aged 5, 3, and 10 months and had been under ICE scrutiny prior to his arrest.
Similarly, a prominent South Texas doctor from Venezuela was arrested alongside her 5-year-old daughter, a U.S. citizen, as they were headed to her husband’s asylum hearing. Officials claimed she was detained for allegedly overstaying her visa, raising questions about the enforcement priorities being applied.
Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, a senior fellow at the American Immigration Council, acknowledges signs of a shift in the downward trend of arrests and detentions. However, he cautions that it is too early to determine whether these changes will become permanent. He notes, “The Trump administration is still asserting that they are maintaining their enforcement momentum, but it is evident that there has been a reduction in some of the more aggressive tactics of Operation Metro Surge that impacted Minneapolis.”
Kessler reported from Washington, and Sullivan from Minneapolis, with contributions from Associated Press writers Elliot Spagat in San Diego and Gisela Salomon in Miami.
