ICE Holding Record 59,000 Immigrants, Almost Half Without Criminal Record

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is now holding about 59,000 people in detention centers across the country — the highest number ever recorded, according to government data reviewed by CBS News. This is well above the 41,500 beds funded by Congress, meaning detention is operating at over 140% of capacity.

Who Is Being Detained

Almost half of those in ICE custody — 47% — have no criminal record, and fewer than 30% have been convicted of a crime. Most of the people being held, over 70%, were arrested inside the United States rather than caught crossing the border. This is a major change from early 2025, when less than 40% were interior arrests.

The number of people in ICE detention has grown by about 50% since the end of the Biden administration, when roughly 39,000 people were being held. The increase is linked mainly to more arrests away from the border, where illegal crossings are currently at historic lows.

Increase in Arrests

In June, ICE has been making an average of 1,200 arrests each day, with more than 2,000 arrests on two separate days. That’s almost double the average earlier this year, though still less than the 3,000 daily arrests some Trump administration officials have called for.

Under President Trump’s expanded enforcement policies, ICE is no longer limiting arrests to people with serious criminal records or recent arrivals. The agency has resumed worksite raids and carried out large operations in cooperation with other federal law enforcement agencies. ICE also continues to arrest noncitizens in local and state jails.

Expanding Detention Space

To hold more people, the administration has looked at using military bases such as Fort Bliss in Texas, although those plans are not fully in place. Florida has offered to build several detention facilities, including one in the Everglades nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz.”

The administration is asking Congress for billions in extra funding to expand detention space to 100,000 beds. ICE did not say whether current facilities are over capacity.

Reactions and Concerns

ICE says the rise in detainee numbers is due to efforts to clear a “backlog” of people in the country illegally who pose public safety risks. The agency says more space is needed for those awaiting deportation.

Researchers and former ICE officials say this is the largest detainee population in U.S. history, surpassing the previous high of about 55,000 in 2019. Austin Kocher, an immigration expert at Syracuse University, warned that overcrowding could make it harder for ICE to meet detention standards or ensure due process for those in custody.