WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A senior official from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement reported that U.S. immigration detention is at full capacity with 47,600 detainees. The official, speaking on a call with reporters on Wednesday, mentioned that the Trump administration is looking to increase bed space.
The official, who chose to remain anonymous, disclosed that ICE is working on expanding its bed count with the assistance of the U.S. Defense Department, U.S. Marshals Service, and Bureau of Prisons. Currently funded to accommodate an average of 41,500 detainees, ICE is collaborating with U.S. lawmakers to secure additional detention funding.
President Donald Trump has pledged to deport a record number of migrants in the U.S. illegally, citing the need to address high levels of illegal immigration from the previous administration. Tom Homan, Trump’s border czar, stated in December 2024 that at least 100,000 beds would be necessary for the mass deportation effort.
Since Trump assumed office on January 20, ICE has intensified arrests, including individuals violating immigration laws without other criminal charges. Between January 20 and March 10, approximately 32,800 arrests were made, with 27% related to alleged immigration violations without additional criminal charges or convictions, according to the ICE official.
Throughout fiscal year 2024, the Biden administration made a total of 113,400 arrests, based on ICE data. While ICE arrests have surged, initial Trump-era deportations have not matched the deportation rates seen during the Biden administration last year. However, the number of deportations under the Biden administration was inflated by significant quantities of migrants caught illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border and promptly deported or returned to Mexico.
(Reporting by Ted Hesson in Washington; Editing by Mary Milliken, Chizu Nomiyama, Matthew Lewis, and Nick Zieminski)
