ICE Sets Record: 39,563 Migrant Arrests in June

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) reached a record number of arrests in the month of June. That month, 39,563 people were detained. The figure marks the highest level of operational activity for the agency since the start of Donald Trump’s second term. Furthermore, it reflects an accelerated hardening of deportation policy.

The information came to light after ICE resumed publication of its Detention Management reports, which had been paused since April. A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson attributed the delay to the recent government shutdown caused by lack of funding. He assured that the agency is working to update the data.

The impact of the detentions is already being felt in system capacity. More than 65,000 people are currently in ICE custody, representing a 9% increase since April.

How Was the Record Figure Reached in June?

The volume of arrests skyrocketed in the last week of the month. According to data revealed by officials and media outlets, agents detained 10,000 people in just five days at the end of June. For his part, Tom Homan, designated as border czar by the Trump administration, confirmed the figure. He asserted that ICE “broke every possible record.”

That push raised the average to approximately 2,000 daily detentions during that period. For reference, in December 2025 there had been 1,283 daily arrests, which at the time was considered a high activity mark. Now, the pace has doubled compared to the first months of the year. This responds to a White House directive that set new operational targets.

In addition to internal arrests, the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) detained 3,575 people. Thus, the combined total of migrant arrests in June reached more than 43,000.

What Is Happening in Detention Centers?

The rapid increase in the number of detainees has once again put the conditions of migrant facilities under scrutiny. Moving from an average of 40,000 people at the beginning of 2025 to exceeding 65,000 has generated logistical pressure and criticism over overcrowding.