Immigration detention centers in the United States are overcrowded, holding 47,600 detainees, a senior U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement official said on a call with reporters Wednesday, adding that the Trump administration is seeking additional space.
An anonymous source, who asked to remain anonymous, added that ICE is expanding capacity with help from the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Marshals Service and the Bureau of Prisons. ICE is currently funded based on an average of 41,500 detainees.
A spokesman said the agency is working with U.S. lawmakers to secure increased funding for detention.
US President Donald Trump has vowed to expel record numbers of illegal immigrants, arguing it is necessary because of high levels of illegal immigration under his predecessor, Democrat Joe Biden.
In December 2024, Trump's border commissioner Tom Homan said the administration would need at least 100,000 places for mass deportations.
Since Trump took office on January 20, ICE has stepped up arrests, including detentions of immigration violators who have no other criminal records or convictions.
World Man, 33, Arrested After Trump Damaged Golf Course Read More
From January 20 to March 10, ICE made about 32,800 arrests, of which 27% were alleged immigration violators with no other criminal charges or adjudications, an ICE spokesperson said.
According to ICE, the Biden administration has made a total of 113,400 arrests for the entire 2024 fiscal year.
While Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests have increased, Trump's initial deportations have lagged Biden's average deportations over the past year, according to Reuters data published in February.
However, deportation statistics have increased in the Biden era, thanks to a large number of migrants caught illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border who were then quickly deported or returned to Mexico. – Reuters
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
