ICE Enforcement Trends FY2026: By the Numbers

The Record Pace

ICE has removed over 471,000 people through FY2026 (which began October 1, 2025), officially surpassing the Obama administration's FY2013 record of 438,421. Deportations have been running at approximately 1,200 per day, with the final FY2026 tally expected to land near 460,000.

The arrest pace has continued accelerating. In August 2026, ICE approached 51,000 arrests — the third consecutive monthly record. Border czar Tom Homan has stated the administration is targeting 2,000 arrests per day, and the August pace of roughly 1,700 per day is the closest ICE has come to that target.

Detention at Capacity

ICE holds approximately 67,500 individuals in detention facilities — a record high, up nearly 70% from when Trump took office. This is nearly double the average daily detained population of 33,724 in FY2020 and more than triple the FY2021 low of 18,315. According to ICE, 60% of those detained have a criminal record.

The surge in detention has strained facility capacity. ICE operates or contracts with approximately 245 facilities nationwide, with the largest — ERO El Paso Camp East Montana — averaging over 2,000 detainees per day. Alternatives to detention (ATD) programs are monitoring an additional 183,181 individuals, according to TRAC Reports.

Historical Context

The current enforcement surge represents a dramatic reversal from the FY2021 low, when ICE removed just 59,011 people — an 80% decline from pre-pandemic levels driven by COVID restrictions and policy changes. Since then, removals have climbed steadily:

The Obama Record

The previous all-time record for ICE removals in a single fiscal year was 438,421, set in FY2013 under the Obama administration. FY2026 has now surpassed that number in absolute terms, though critics note the comparison isn't straightforward. The estimated unauthorized immigrant population has grown significantly since 2013, meaning removals as a proportion of the total unauthorized population may still be lower than the Obama-era peak.

Mike Howell of the Oversight Project has argued that "the numbers are only larger than Obama in absolute terms but smaller when you take into account the proportion of total illegal population," and that worksite enforcement must become "the backbone of operations" for removals to reach true mass deportation levels.

What to Watch

With the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, FY2026 has already set a new record. Several factors will shape FY2027 enforcement levels:

• Arrest acceleration: With August hitting ~51,000 arrests, the pipeline of deportable individuals continues to grow
• Detention capacity: At ~67,500 detained, facilities are under strain — can the system absorb more?
• Receiving country cooperation: Deportations require destination countries to accept returnees
• Legal challenges: Ongoing court cases could constrain certain enforcement operations