Number of Immigrants in ICE Detention Declines Slightly This Week

We’ve been keeping track of the number of immigrants in detention during the Biden administration (as well as for years before that).

ICE’s latest data release shows that the number of people in immigrant detention had been growing during the Biden administration but has declined for the past month. A total of 25,526 are currently being held in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention, down from 27,217 in early July.

Data updated this week on the immigration detention system provided by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) show that:

• Immigration and Customs Enforcement held 25,526 in ICE detention according to data released on August 6, 2021.
• 20,053 out of 25,526 — or 78.6% — held in ICE detention have no criminal record, according to data released on August 6, 2021. Many more have only minor offenses, including traffic violations.
• ICE relied on detention facilities in Texas to house the most people — 4,956 — during FY 2021, according to data released on August 6, 2021.
• ICE arrested 3,308 and CBP arrested 22,650 of the 25,958 people booked into detention by ICE during July 2021.
• South Texas ICE Processing Center in Pearsall, Texas held the largest number of ICE detainees so far in FY 2021, averaging 785 per day (as of August 2021).
• ICE Alternatives to Detention (ATD) programs are currently monitoring 112,256 families and single individuals, according to data released on August 6, 2021.
• San Francisco’s area office has highest number in ICE’s Alternatives to Detention (ATD) monitoring programs, a total of 11,448, according to data released on August 6, 2021.

For more information, see TRAC’s Quick Facts tools here or click here to learn more about TRAC’s entire suite of immigration tools.