The U.S. government enacted increasingly strict immigration enforcement measures since January 2025. Since then, the goal of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) includes removing the “worst of the worst” from the United States. In total, ICE detained 438,000 people between January 2025 and March 2026. According to ABC, only three percent of all ICE detainees detained in the past fourteen months had a prior violent felony conviction. Additionally, ICE detained fourteen thousand parents of U.S. born children during the first eight months of 2025. That’s more than the number of parents detained in 2022 and 2023 combined.

ABC’s numbers roughly match-up with a report conducted by the University of California Berkley in April, 2026. For example, detainment of individuals without a criminal record increased by seven hundred and seventy percent in the same time frame as the ABC report. Detainment of individuals without a criminal record wasn’t a huge priority for immigration agents until January, 2025.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) claimed holding ICE detainees without conviction lawful, because all undocumented migrants illegally entered the U.S. However, unlawful entry is a civil offense, not a criminal one. The DHS statement illustrates a gap in the legal understanding of unlawful entry and how the government handles undocumented individuals.

As always, Immigration USA actively monitors ongoing U.S. immigration news. If you have questions about any U.S. immigration related issue, contact us. Working with an experienced attorney ensures you get the right advice based on the most recent laws. In an ever-evolving immigration policy landscape, we’re with you every step of the way.