Krome Detention Center officers man a gate leading to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility, May 24, 2025, in Miami.
Rebecca Blackwell/AP
hide caption
toggle caption
Rebecca Blackwell/AP
President Trump is implementing a large-scale deportation initiative that has been touted as the largest in U.S. history. Recent data reveals that approximately 56,000 immigrants are currently held in ICE detention facilities.
The Deportation Data Project reports that nearly half of the individuals in detention do not have criminal records, amounting to around 30,000 detainees without prior convictions, a segment that has seen significant growth in recent months.
“Contrary to statements made by officials like Tom Homan and Stephen Miller, the data indicates that the individuals being arrested by ICE do not align with claims of targeting violent criminals,” explains UCLA Professor Graeme Blair, referencing President Trump’s ‘Border czar’ and a key White House aide.
While initial detention numbers under the Trump administration were comparable to those during the Biden administration, recent efforts have ramped up detention rates, with a recent target of 3,000 ICE arrests per day.
Analysis by Professor Blair from the Deportation Data Project indicates a shift in ICE raids in Los Angeles, where an increasing number of individuals without criminal records are being apprehended. NPR’s examination of ICE data shows that the population of detainees without criminal convictions has nearly doubled since May, surpassing other detainee groups.
Despite claims from President Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi focusing on targeting violent offenders, there has been consistent messaging from government sources about collateral immigration arrests and the justification for detaining and deporting individuals solely based on their undocumented status.
For many individuals, this policy has led to the disruption of their lives, communities, and businesses in the U.S. Pastor Maurilio Ambrocio from Guatemala is one such case. After living in the U.S. without legal status for 30 years, running a landscaping business, and serving as a community leader, Ambrocio was detained during a routine check-in and deported back to Guatemala.
Ambrocio, who had a stay of removal status, had complied with immigration requirements for over a decade before his sudden detention. The news of his deportation has left his community members, including some Trump supporters, devastated and questioning the rationale behind the immigration crackdown.
“I’m not comfortable with the current situation,” expressed Greg Johns, a neighbor of the Ambrocio family and a Trump voter. “Taking away a community leader, a pastor, a hardworking man… was that necessary?”
Johns’ sentiments reflect a broader shift in American attitudes towards immigration enforcement. While previous polls showed a majority in favor of reduced immigration, a recent NPR, PBS News, and Marist poll indicates that 52% of Americans disapprove of Trump’s current approach to immigration enforcement.
