Since President Donald Trump commenced his second term in January 2025, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has intensified enforcement operations across Texas. Notable developments include:
- Increased Arrests: ICE has significantly ramped up activities, averaging up to 600 arrests daily nationwide, with peaks nearing 1,000. Texas, alongside states like New York, California, and Florida, has been a major focus of these operations. visaverge.com
- North Texas Operations: On January 26, 2025, ICE conducted targeted raids in North Texas, apprehending 84 individuals across cities including Dallas, Fort Worth, Arlington, Irving, and Garland. These operations targeted undocumented immigrants with criminal backgrounds but also resulted in collateral arrests of other undocumented individuals encountered during the raids. fox4news.com+2visaverge.com+2nbcdfw.com+2
- Colony Ridge Raid: In late February 2025, a significant operation in Colony Ridge led to the detention of 118 individuals. Among them was Luis Miguel Perez, an alleged MS-13 gang member with a history of multiple deportations, now charged with murder. houstonchronicle.com+3houstonchronicle.com+3nypost.com+3mrt.com+2nypost.com+2fox7austin.com+2
- Workplace Enforcement: ICE has also focused on workplace compliance. For instance, a raid at Texas Couplings LLC in Spring, Texas, resulted in 20 detentions due to employment document discrepancies. This marked a shift towards scrutinizing employers potentially hiring unauthorized workers. time.com+6visaverge.com+6nbcdfw.com+6houstonchronicle.com
- Detention Statistics: As of February 23, 2025, ICE reported 43,759 individuals in detention nationwide. Texas leads with the highest number of detainees, totaling 12,186. tracreports.org
These actions reflect the administration’s commitment to stringent immigration enforcement, emphasizing the removal of individuals with criminal records and enhancing workplace compliance.
