McALLEN, Texas (Border Report) — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is making more arrests of migrants than Customs and Border Protection since President Donald Trump took office, according to new data.
During the Biden administration, CBP led with arrests averaging 60 to 80 percent of all immigration-related arrests nationwide. But new data shows ICE has inverted this pattern during Trump’s second term, according to Transactional Access Records Clearinghouse (TRAC) data released Tuesday.
ICE is now the arresting agency for 81% of book-ins from February through mid-May, TRAC reports.
Reasons for the change include:
- Fewer people encountered trying to illegally cross the U.S. border from Mexico.
- ICE is being listed as the “arresting authority” for enforcement events that involve multiple agencies, including CBP.
- The Trump administration has prioritized arresting immigrants living in the interior of the United States, which would fall under ICE’s arresting authority.
Among those listed as arrested by ICE officers include international students with visas, those who had been granted Temporary Protected Status but policies have since changed no longer allowing them to remain working and living in the United States, and those with humanitarian parole or pending asylum claims, TRAC reports.
In December 2024, CBP officers made 14,240 book-ins, or 64%, and ICE officers made 7,882 book-ins, or 36%, of the 22,122 total arrests that month. In March, however, CBP made only 2,760 book-ins, or 16%, and ICE officers made 13,795 book-ins, or 83%, of the 16,555 arrests, TRAC reports.
Since February, CBP arrests have not surpassed 5,000 in a month, TRAC reports.
ICE has relied on detention facilities in Texas to house most people detained during Fiscal Year 2025, according to TRAC data as of May 12.
As of May 18, there were 48,870 people being held in ICE detention facilities. TRAC reports that 43% of them have no criminal record.
Sandra Sanchez can be reached at SSanchez@BorderReport.com.
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