WASHINGTON: The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) made approximately 51,000 arrests last month, the highest monthly total in the agency’s history, as the Trump administration intensified its nationwide immigration enforcement campaign.

According to figures released by ICE and reports from US media outlets, the agency averaged about 1,645 arrests per day last month. The monthly total surpassed the previous record of roughly 43,000 arrests in June, marking two consecutive months of record-breaking enforcement.

The surge in arrests reflects President Donald Trump’s renewed effort to expand immigration enforcement after returning to office. The administration has directed federal agencies to increase operations aimed at identifying and removing people living in the United States without legal status.

The increased activity has been reported across the country. In Georgia, an enhanced immigration enforcement operation resulted in the arrest of 1,226 people accused of violating immigration laws.

Data also showed that the agency arrested more than 30 people at airports last month as part of expanded enforcement actions.

The increase in arrests comes as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE report a rise in deportations. In June, the DHS announced that 356,389 people had been deported during the fiscal year to date.

The department has defended the crackdown as necessary to enforce immigration laws and remove people it describes as posing a threat to public safety.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said: “There’s a reason that 80 per cent of Americans support our commonsense efforts to deport criminal illegals from our communities. By removing these criminals, we are making America safe again.”

The expanded enforcement campaign has also drawn criticism. Reports indicate that some people detained in recent operations had no criminal records and possessed valid work authorisation or parole documents, raising concerns among immigrant advocates about whether enforcement efforts are affecting people beyond those with criminal histories.

Even some supporters of the administration’s immigration agenda have argued that enforcement should go further. Mike Howell, president of the Trump-aligned Oversight Project, said the numbers remained below what he expected and called for workplace enforcement to become a central part of the strategy.

The record arrests mark a major escalation in the Trump administration’s immigration policy and are likely to remain a politically significant issue in the United States.

Published in Dawn, August 8th, 2026