RAICES Bulletin: 2026 YTD ICE Detention and Removal Data
By RAICES Public Affairs Director Javier Hidalgo, Esq.
TL;DR Recent ICE data reveals a shift toward accelerated removals and targeting of non-criminals, even as the total number of people in detention dips slightly.
WHAT TO KNOW
Issue: After a 56-day reporting gap, ICE data shows 60,311 people in detention as of April 4, 2026. While this is down from the 70,766 peak earlier this year, the system is removing people at a record pace. Interior removals have surged five-fold since late 2024; notably, ICE now inflates these numbers by counting voluntary departures as removals. This data dismantles the "criminality" narrative: 70.8% of detainees have no criminal convictions, and only 1.83% of new removal cases involve alleged criminal activity.
Rationale: The drop in physical detention is driven by a 21% decrease in the detention of people without criminal histories. Meanwhile, enrollment in "Alternatives to Detention" (ATD) remains flat at roughly 180,701. This suggests ICE is maintaining its surveillance net regardless of whether physical detention numbers rise or fall.
RAICES Impact: While population fluctuations may not change how we serve individual clients, they force our teams to shift strategies to maintain our organizational reach. Our family-focused staff have already navigated these shifts, such as when the Dilley facility hit near-capacity before this recent decline. This volatile environment keeps more people detained through their merits hearings and increases the risk that non-detained clients could be abruptly taken into custody.
Community Impact: The human cost is mounting, with 17 detention deaths reported as of mid-April 2026. In February, the vast majority of detained non-citizens faced removal orders without an attorney, forcing them to navigate complex legal systems alone. By targeting law-abiding people deep in their legal processes, the administration has cast a "chilling effect" over the communities we support.
Related Legal Battles: Community and legal advocates are fighting the expansion of ICE detention and the use of indefinite confinement. This month, RAICES filed a class action lawsuit challenging these indefinite detention policies. Additional legal actions include FOIA lawsuits for transparency and federal court challenges regarding inhumane detention conditions.
Broader Immigration Strategy: This data shows how anti-immigrant mandates fuel the detention complex. The figures debunk the myth that immigrant communities are prone to crime; to maintain its narrative, the administration must now target those with no criminal history. Restricting bond access keeps detention beds filled longer, funneling money into a profit-driven industry. Finally, by rebranding voluntary departures as "removals," the administration hides how it coerces asylum seekers into abandoning their legal rights to escape the trauma of detention.
