Recent data from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), as reported by the Deportation Data Project, reveals a substantial rise in the detention of individuals without criminal records during federal immigration operations in cities such as Chicago, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C. From early September to mid-October, daily bookings of individuals without criminal records in Chicago increased from approximately three to over 45, representing a surge 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 individuals without criminal records peaked at 37 in late August, while those with criminal charges or convictions remained below ten per day during the same period. 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, 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 individuals 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 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. While DHS claims that 70% of those arrested by ICE since the beginning of the second Trump administration have had criminal charges or convictions, this percentage has been declining since April, with individuals with only civil immigration violations now representing the fastest-growing group in ICE detention.

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 policy follows a shooting incident involving two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., allegedly perpetrated by Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national who had been granted asylum 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 the need for a comprehensive review of individuals from these high-risk countries. Critics, however, argue that this move scapegoats entire nationalities for the actions of a single individual. Human Rights Watch's U.S. director, Tanya Greene, stated that the policy is not based on safety but rather on the stigmatization of individuals based on their country of origin.

The National Immigrant Justice Center criticized the administration for exploiting the tragedy to advance anti-immigrant policies, claiming 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 instead of punitive measures that could exacerbate xenophobia and violence. The Council on American-Islamic Relations urged Congress to investigate 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 expressed disapproval of the rhetoric surrounding these policies, drawing parallels to historical discrimination against various ethnic groups in the U.S.