Sharp Decline in Immigration Enforcement Observed in the Pacific Northwest
Following a historic surge in immigration enforcement across the Pacific Northwest last autumn, newly released data indicates a significant decrease in enforcement activities during late winter.
Between January 1, 2026, and the second week of March, immigration authorities arrested approximately 890 individuals. However, these figures raise concerns, as they reflect ongoing arrests of individuals who have not been convicted of any crime.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been detaining immigrants at the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma since the facility opened in 2004.
Stephanie Gordon / OPB
The findings stem from the latest data released by the Deportation Data Project, a collaborative effort involving multiple universities that acquires arrest data from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security through public records requests and litigation. This recent release outlines immigration enforcement trends up to March 11.
Focusing specifically on the Seattle field office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which oversees operations in Oregon, Washington, and Alaska, the released figures show that around 260 individuals were arrested in February. This marks a notable decline from the 546 arrests recorded in January. In contrast, arrest numbers surpassed 850 each month from October to December as part of Operation Black Rose.
While data for March remains incomplete, it suggests that individuals without criminal records continue to be disproportionately targeted. The Department of Homeland Security categorizes arrests into three groups: convicted individuals, those who have been charged but not convicted, and “other immigration violators.” The latter group often comprises individuals with no criminal history, facing only immigration-related charges such as illegal entry.
During the Fall 2025 operation, arrests of individuals without criminal records surged, exceeding 400 individuals each month in October, November, and December. Arrests dipped in January, with 322 individuals without criminal records apprehended. Whitney Phelps, an immigration attorney at the Portland nonprofit organization CLEAR Clinic, cautions those opposed to the Trump administration’s rigorous deportation strategies, highlighting that the current decline should not lead to complacency.
Details of Data Analysis
This analysis is based on data released on March 30 by the Deportation Data Project. The dataset comprises tens of thousands of records detailing arrests made by immigration authorities, including the date of arrest, location, and criminal history. OPB filtered this data to focus specifically on the Seattle area by using the “area of responsibility” indicator linked to the Department of Homeland Security field office that conducted the arrests, which serves all of Alaska, Oregon, and Washington.
The data was utilized to create a refined table categorizing arrests in the Seattle field office according to the month and year of each arrest, alongside the criminal status of the individuals apprehended. This in-depth analysis aims to illuminate ongoing trends in immigration enforcement, particularly concerning individuals without criminal records in the Pacific Northwest.
