Recent data from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), as reported by the Deportation Data Project, indicates a substantial rise in the detention of individuals without criminal records during federal immigration operations in major cities such as Chicago, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C. From early September to mid-October, the average daily bookings of non-criminal individuals in Chicago increased dramatically from approximately three to over 45, representing an increase of more than 1,400%. In contrast, fewer than 25 individuals with criminal charges or convictions were detained daily by mid-October.

In Washington, D.C., the average daily detentions of non-criminal individuals peaked at 37 in late August, while the number of those with criminal charges remained below ten per day during the same timeframe. Los Angeles has seen a decrease in overall immigration arrests since the summer, with 63% of those initially detained in June and July lacking criminal records. Similarly, in Memphis, Tennessee, where federal operations commenced recently, over half of the detentions in the first two weeks of October involved individuals with only civil immigration violations. Conversely, Portland, Oregon, has maintained a more balanced distribution of detentions among those with criminal convictions, pending charges, and civil immigration violations.

Border Patrol agents have been involved in these operations alongside ICE, with detainees held in ICE facilities. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has publicly stated that its focus is primarily on individuals with criminal records. However, officials such as border czar Tom Homan and acting ICE director Todd Lyons have indicated that anyone found to be in the U.S. illegally may be arrested, regardless of their criminal history. Although DHS claims that 70% of those arrested by ICE since the beginning of the second Trump administration have had criminal charges, this percentage has been declining since April. Currently, individuals with only civil immigration violations represent the fastest-growing group in ICE detention, with approximately 7% of detainees having been convicted of violent crimes, though the severity of charges for those not convicted is not specified.

In a related development, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has enacted a policy to suspend immigration applications from 19 countries already subject to travel restrictions. This decision follows a shooting incident involving two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., one of whom died. The alleged shooter, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national who entered the U.S. in September 2021, had been granted asylum earlier in the year under the Trump administration.

The countries affected by this immigration halt include Afghanistan, Burma, Burundi, Chad, Cuba, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, the Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Togo, Turkmenistan, Venezuela, and Yemen. USCIS cited concerns over screening and vetting processes as justification for the new policy, asserting that a comprehensive review of individuals from these high-risk countries is necessary. Critics, however, have condemned this move as an attempt to scapegoat entire nationalities for the actions of a single individual. Human Rights Watch's U.S. director, Tanya Greene, emphasized that the policy is not rooted in safety but rather in the stigmatization of people based on their country of origin.

The National Immigrant Justice Center criticized the administration for exploiting the tragedy to further anti-immigrant policies, arguing that such actions jeopardize the rights of individuals seeking asylum and protection under U.S. and international law. Uzra Zeya, CEO of Human Rights First, called for moral leadership rather than punitive measures that could exacerbate xenophobia and violence. The Council on American-Islamic Relations urged Congress to investigate the expansion of these discriminatory policies, asserting that the blanket suspension of asylum processing does not enhance safety and is fundamentally unjust. Lawmakers, including Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar, have also voiced their disapproval, highlighting the troubling nature of derogatory remarks made by Trump regarding Somali migrants and calling for a reevaluation of the administration's approach to immigration.