Detentions by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) hit a monthly record high in July 2026, according to internal agency data obtained by CBS News. Over 46,000 individuals facing deportation due to alleged immigration violations—including illegal entry or visa overstays—were taken into custody last month, surpassing June's tally of roughly 43,000 detentions, previously the highest during President Trump's second term.

The data indicates an average of 1,500 detainees entered ICE custody daily in July, some initially arrested by Customs and Border Protection agents. ICE's detention system held approximately 68,000 detainees as of early August, nearing the record high of over 70,000 set in January.

This surge follows a summer enforcement push intensified by White House pressure to achieve 2,000 arrests nationwide each day. ICE expanded its operations to airports, immigration check-in offices, and communities across the United States.

The crackdown has rebounded after a dip earlier in 2026, which followed bipartisan criticism sparked by federal agents killing two American citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, during a Minneapolis enforcement blitz.

In July, ICE officers in Texas and Maine fatally shot two immigrants, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo and Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, during attempted traffic stops, prompting local and national outcry.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated to CBS News that in President Trump's first year back in office, more than 3 million illegal aliens left the U.S., including an estimated 2.2 million self-deportations, attributing this to the administration's crackdown on illegal immigration.

Notable remarks from ICE officials include statements such as "We're turning up the heat on the streets," and "We're out there working harder than we've ever had because we've empowered our law enforcement to do their job," reflecting the agency's intensified enforcement approach.

Sources

Reported by Camilo Montoya-Galvez, Immigration Correspondent at CBS News.