By America-Today November 24, 2025

The number of detainees in U.S. Immigration and Customs

Enforcement custody increased to 66,000 this week, setting a new

record high as President Trump intensifies his crackdown on illegal

immigration, according to internal Department of Homeland Security

data obtained by CBS News.

ICE's detainee population has ballooned by nearly 70% since Mr.

Trump took office for a second time in January, when ICE was holding

around 39,000 individuals in its detention system. The previous high

before Mr. Trump's second administration was recorded during his

first term, in 2019, when ICE held about 56,000 detainees at one

point, according to government figures compiled by researchers at

Syracuse University.

ICE detains immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally or other

noncitizens the government seeks to deport until their cases are

adjudicated, unless they are granted bond or released on humanitarian

grounds.