US immigration agency holds fewer non-criminals in custody since January: Report

The number of people held in custody by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) fell by 12% from a record high in January to the end of March, CBS News reported, citing data from the agency.

The decline represented the first significant drop since US President Donald Trump returned to office and launched a deportation crackdown that made all individuals without legal status in the US subject to arrest and detention.

The report said that despite the decline, the average daily detention population exceeded levels seen during both the Biden administration and Trump’s first term.

According to ICE data, an average of about 63,000 people were detained each day in March, compared to about 72,000 in January.

Those in ICE custody are typically accused of civil immigration violations, such as illegal border crossing or visa overstays. Previously, non-criminal detainees made up the fastest-growing group, compared to individuals with pending charges or past convictions.

However, between January and March, the average number of detainees without criminal records dropped by 21%, though they still constitute the largest group. Over the same period, detainees with pending charges and prior convictions decreased by 5% and 4%, respectively.

Public scrutiny of US immigration agencies intensified after two fatal shootings by ICE agents in Minneapolis, Minnesota, earlier in the year. Those deadly shootings sparked nationwide protests, as videos taken by bystanders contradicted ICE’s official statements about what happened during those shootings.