Federal immigration enforcement operations have experienced a notable decline following deadly incidents in Minneapolis that sparked significant changes in agency leadership and tactics.
During the height of enforcement activities, teams of masked federal agents were frequently visible throughout Minneapolis streets, while thousands of individuals faced weekly arrests across Texas, Florida and California.
Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino described the approach as “turn and burn,” characterized by aggressive enforcement displays and agent teams targeting restaurant kitchens, transit stops and retail store parking areas.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests reached their highest point in December with nearly 40,000 detentions nationwide, maintaining similar levels the following month, according to information shared with UC Berkeley’s Deportation Data Project and examined by The Associated Press.
The late January deaths of two American citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, at the hands of immigration officers in Minneapolis, combined with mounting criticism of aggressive enforcement methods, triggered significant personnel changes within immigration leadership. Following these events, ICE arrests nationwide decreased by approximately 12% over subsequent weeks.
Public opinion surveys indicated widespread disapproval of the Minnesota enforcement operation’s intensity, potentially influencing the unexpected dismissal of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in early March.
Bovino, who prominently appeared at enforcement operations wearing tactical equipment and served as the administration’s enforcement spokesperson, was removed from his position after the Minneapolis fatalities. Border enforcement chief Tom Homan was subsequently deployed to the Minneapolis area to establish new enforcement protocols, announcing the reduction of immigration agents in Minnesota on February 4.
Associated Press examination of ICE detention records reveals the agency conducted an average of 7,369 weekly arrests nationally during the five weeks following Homan’s reduction announcement, representing the most current available data, compared to 8,347 weekly arrests in the preceding five-week period. These figures remained elevated compared to much of President Donald Trump’s second term’s initial year and significantly exceeded Biden administration levels.
Regional variations in enforcement activity were substantial across different areas.
Several states experienced notable increases in ICE arrests during the five-week period, including Kentucky, Indiana, North Carolina and Florida, with some locations recording their highest weekly totals since Trump’s second term began. Kentucky specifically saw weekly arrests more than double, reaching 86 by early March.
These regional increases were balanced by significant decreases in larger states, particularly Minnesota and Texas.
The current administration maintains its focus on apprehending the most dangerous criminals residing illegally in the United States, with the president characterizing targets as “the worst of the worst.”
While this characterization applies in certain instances, the actual situation presents greater complexity.
Numerous serious criminals entering ICE custody were already incarcerated, while many others detained possessed no criminal background.
Approximately 46% of individuals arrested by ICE during the five weeks preceding February 4 had no criminal charges or convictions, decreasing to 41% in the subsequent five weeks.
This percentage still exceeds the 35% weekly average since Trump resumed office. Additionally, several states saw increases rather than decreases in arrests of individuals without criminal records even after February 4.
Federal court documents filed nationwide provide an incomplete view of continued intensive deportation efforts, despite reduced overall activity.
Cases include a 21-year-old Honduran man without criminal history who petitioned for release after February 22 arrest during a suburban San Diego traffic stop. The father of three American citizen children aged 5, 3 and 10 months had been under ICE monitoring before tactical officers conducted the stop, according to court filings.
Another case involves a 33-year-old Venezuelan physician working in a medically underserved South Texas region, arrested this month alongside her five-year-old American citizen daughter while traveling to her husband’s asylum hearing.
Officials stated her arrest was for visa overstay violations.
Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, senior fellow with the American Immigration Council research and advocacy organization, observes indicators of policy shifts in reduced arrest and detention statistics but cautions against drawing premature conclusions about permanent changes.
“The Trump administration says: ‘We’re not slowing down,’ ‘Nothing has changed,’” regarding immigration enforcement, he explained. “But it’s very clear that they have pulled back from some of the tactics of Operation Metro Surge,” referencing the Minneapolis enforcement operation.
