Immigration arrests have surged to record levels under President Donald Trump. Federal agents made almost 51,000 arrests in August, according to data reviewed by Reuters. State-by-state figures reveal this increase has been widespread. Arrests leading to detention rose sharply across much of the U.S. between July 2025 and July 2026, as the administration carried out its mass deportation policy.
Newsweek created a map using data from the Deportation Data Project to illustrate where arrests leading to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention increased in that period. Trump has emphasized the aim of delivering the “single largest Mass Deportation Program in History.” According to Reuters, immigration officers face pressure to increase daily arrest numbers as enforcement operations expand.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin highlighted the rise in arrests on social media. On September 5, he noted that “DHS continues to break records.” “For the THIRD STRAIGHT month—@ICEgov set a new record for the highest number of illegal aliens arrested in a single month,” he wrote. Newsweek has contacted ICE for comment outside office hours.
Detention Data Insights
Data shows significant increases, especially in the South and Southwest. Texas recorded the highest number of arrests leading to detention in July with 10,331, up from 5,787 in July 2025. Florida’s numbers nearly tripled, increasing from 1,938 to 5,501. Arizona’s arrests rose from 798 to 2,028, and Georgia increased from 842 to 2,144.
Other states saw notable increases too. New Jersey climbed from 822 to 1,854, Pennsylvania from 655 to 1,153, Tennessee from 598 to 1,009, and Massachusetts from 272 to 505. However, some states recorded smaller increases or remained stable. New York saw a modest rise from 1,306 to 1,353, and Maryland increased from 384 to 496.
“Over the past 21 months, plain-clothed, masked, armed, unidentified and untrained federal agents have terrorized Maryland communities from the Eastern Shore to Park Heights, all the way to Washington County,” Shana Khader, legal director of the immigration advocacy group We Are CASA, said in a news release.
A few states experienced declines. California’s figures fell from 2,832 arrests leading to detention in July 2025 to 2,386 by July 2026. Colorado declined from 534 to 466, Rhode Island from 56 to 23, and Nevada remained largely unchanged, declining from 306 to 303.
Gap Between Detentions and Deportations
The increase in arrests does not directly translate into a rise in deportations. Arrested individuals may remain in detention while their cases progress through the courts. Some have pending asylum claims or other legal proceedings, affecting the deportation timeline.
October 2025 saw another enforcement surge during Operation Midway Blitz, led by U.S. Border Patrol official Greg Bovino. Authorities recorded 2,034 arrests in Illinois that month. Minnesota was also a focus of enforcement activity. During Operation Metro Surge, 2,052 arrests were recorded in January, coinciding with federal agents fatally shooting Renée Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.
Recent data is consistent with a nationwide rise in arrests. Reuters reported that arrests nearly reached 51,000 in August, setting a record for a third consecutive month. However, deportations have not increased at the same pace. Preliminary data shows removals have stayed steady at 1,200 per day, despite the sharp arrest increase.
The crackdown increasingly involves people without deportation orders who may have pending asylum cases, slowing removal proceedings. The Deportation Data Project found arrests surged in June and July 2026, reaching the highest levels of Trump’s second term. The increase was partly due to more cooperation between ICE and local law enforcement, along with more arrests of individuals without criminal convictions.
While mass deportation marks a defining policy of Trump’s second term, the gap between arrests and removals illustrates that a record number of arrests does not equate to equivalent deportations. Upcoming months will reveal if the administration can maintain its arrest pace while boosting removals.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Matthew Cannon and Shakeema Edwards.