During a period of intensified immigration enforcement, the streets of Minneapolis witnessed frequent patrols by immigration officers, while massive numbers of arrests were reported weekly in states such as Texas, Florida, and California.
The strategy, described by top Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino as “Turn and burn,” involved bold shows of force, with agents targeting locations such as restaurant kitchens and public transportation stops.
Data analyzed by The Associated Press from UC Berkeley’s Deportation Data Project reveals that ICE arrests peaked at nearly 40,000 in December and maintained high levels the following month.
In late January, two American citizens were killed by immigration officers in Minneapolis, sparking public outrage and criticism of the government’s methods. This led to major changes in immigration leadership, and ICE arrests fell by nearly 12% in the subsequent weeks.
Polls indicated that many felt enforcement in Minnesota was excessive, a sentiment that may have played a role in the dismissal of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in early March.
Regional Variations in Arrest Data
Following the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, Bovino was replaced, and Tom Homan assumed leadership to reform the enforcement approach. Homan declared a reduction in immigration agents on February 4.
The Associated Press found that weekly ICE arrests averaged 7,369 in the five weeks after Homan’s announcement, a decrease from the prior five-week average of 8,347. Despite this reduction, numbers remained above the averages from President Trump’s first term and significantly higher compared to the Biden administration.
However, these trends were not consistent nationwide.
Increases in ICE arrests were noted in states like Kentucky, Indiana, North Carolina, and Florida during this period, with Kentucky experiencing a doubling of weekly arrests to 86 by early March. Meanwhile, states like Minnesota and Texas saw substantial declines.
Targeting of Non-Criminals
Despite claims by the Trump administration that enforcement targeted “the worst of the worst,” as described by the president, many arrested individuals had no criminal history.
While many serious offenders were already incarcerated, a significant portion of those detained had no prior charges. Before February 4, around 46% of ICE arrests involved individuals without criminal records, dropping to 41% in the following five weeks, still above the 35% average since Trump’s re-election.
Signs of a Shift?
Nationwide, thousands of federal court documents provide insight into the ongoing intensity of deportation efforts under the Trump administration.
Cases like that of a 21-year-old Honduran man, apprehended in a San Diego traffic stop without a criminal record, and a 33-year-old Venezuelan doctor detained for visa overstay, illustrate ongoing enforcement actions.
Aaron Reichlin-Melnick of the American Immigration Council suggests there are signs of change with lower arrest rates, though he cautions it’s too early to assess permanence.
“The Trump administration says: ‘We’re not slowing down,’ ‘Nothing has changed,’” he remarked, “But it’s very clear that they have pulled back from some of the tactics of Operation Metro Surge,” referring to the Minneapolis operation.
