Nearly one-quarter of all Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests in the first five months of President Donald Trump’s second term occurred in Texas, according to newly analyzed federal data.
A review by CBS News of government records shows ICE carried out more than 109,000 arrests nationwide between January 20 and June 27—a 120% spike compared to the same period in 2024, when just under 49,000 arrests occurred during President Biden’s final year in office.
The data, obtained by the Deportation Data Project through litigation, confirms that Southern and border states remain ICE’s primary focus, but at a significantly escalated pace. Texas led all states with nearly 25% of the arrests, followed by Florida (11%), California (7%), Georgia (4%), and Arizona (3%). At the bottom were Vermont, Alaska, and Montana, with fewer than 100 arrests combined.
The report also sheds light on who is being targeted. Nearly 40,000 of those arrested were Mexican nationals, followed by individuals from Guatemala, Honduras, Venezuela, and El Salvador.
Where ICE is most active often reflects state-level cooperation. “It’s easier for ICE to pick people up from state and local jails where there’s collaboration,” said Kathleen Bush-Joseph of the Migration Policy Institute. States like Texas and Florida typically support ICE enforcement, while California—despite being a sanctuary state—continues to report high arrest numbers due to its large undocumented population.
Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons said the agency remains focused on apprehending violent offenders but emphasized that all individuals in violation of immigration law are subject to arrest. “We prioritize public safety, but if someone is here illegally, they will be taken into custody,” he said.
However, internal ICE data obtained by CBS reveals that only a small percentage of deportees this year had serious criminal records. Of the 100,000 deported from January 1 to June 24, just 0.58% had homicide convictions, and about 8% had been convicted of assault. Most were deported for traffic infractions or immigration violations.
So far in 2025, deportations under Trump have reached 150,000. Homeland Security officials say their annual goal is one million removals.
