Trump’s ICE Hits Breaking Point?

ICE is overwhelmed but they refuse to give up!

U.S. immigration detention centers are currently at full capacity, holding over 47,600 detainees, according to an official from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) who spoke to Reuters. The Trump administration is now actively working to secure more space to manage the increasing number of detainees.

To address this overflow, ICE is collaborating with the U.S. Defense Department, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Prisons. This effort aims to expand their capacity and prevent a backlog as the agency faces growing challenges in managing detainees.

President Donald Trump had promised American voters that, if re-elected, he would significantly increase the arrests and deportations of illegal immigrants. However, ICE’s detention capacity is limited, putting pressure on the agency to meet the President’s ambitious promises. In fact, ICE currently has approximately 7 million individuals in its non-detained docket. These individuals have final orders of removal or are going through proceedings but are not considered public safety threats.

Back in November, ICE’s detention facilities had room for about 41,000 detainees, as per the agency’s 2024 annual report. To address the swelling numbers, ICE has begun to work with private prison companies like GEO Group and CoreCivic, which will add more beds to detention centers across the country.

Earlier this year, President Trump proposed using Guantanamo Bay to hold up to 30,000 illegal immigrants awaiting deportation, but reports suggest that only a few hundred have been transferred there so far.

Additionally, the passage of the Laken Riley Act has placed further pressure on ICE. The law mandates that immigrants accused of crimes such as theft or assault be detained. This new legislation has expanded ICE’s responsibilities and detention requirements.

One potential solution to the shortage of space involves utilizing local law enforcement through a program called 287(g), which grants police and sheriff’s departments the authority to enforce immigration laws. This would allow local jails to be used for detaining immigrants, increasing the overall capacity.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina emphasized the urgency of border security, warning that ICE is rapidly running out of funds and the failure to act will have severe consequences. “Stalling President Trump’s border security agenda is not only bad politics, it is dangerous,” Graham stated in February.

CoreCivic’s CEO, Damon T. Hininger, expressed his company’s commitment to assisting ICE with additional detention space, noting the ability to offer flexible, cost-effective solutions to the government’s needs.

While arrests have tripled compared to the previous administration, the lack of detention space means that many of those arrested may still be released if ICE cannot expand its capacity soon. The pressure is mounting, and the need for a solution is more urgent than ever.