ICE Arrests in NYC Hit Record High in July with Many Same-Day Releases

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests in New York City have surged to their highest level this year, with 804 arrests recorded in July, according to newly released data obtained through Freedom of Information Act lawsuits by the Deportation Data Project. The figures, covering activity through early August, reveal a significant increase in same-day releases on orders of recognizance, particularly among individuals reporting to ICE for the first time.

National data shows that ICE made nearly 50,000 arrests nationwide in July, the highest monthly total during President Donald Trump’s second term. While arrests have risen across the country, New York City has seen a disproportionate increase in same-day releases—where individuals are detained briefly before being released with paperwork requiring regular check-ins with ICE.

Local immigration attorneys report that recent arrests often involve people who had never previously been in deportation proceedings. Allison Cutler, an attorney with the New York Legal Assistance Group, noted that beginning this spring, legal service providers observed a rise in cases where families were summoned to ICE offices for the first time. Many were issued a Notice to Appear in immigration court and released hours later under orders of recognizance.

The recent uptick follows a winter decline in arrests after the deaths of Alex Pretti and Rene Good during a Homeland Security operation in Minneapolis, which led to the ousting of then-DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and Customs and Border Protection Chief Greg Bovino. Since March, arrests have climbed under the leadership of current DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin.

Most of the recent arrests in New York City involve individuals with no criminal convictions or pending charges. While arrests of those with criminal records have remained stable during Trump’s second term, the number of people with no prior criminal history being detained has reached record highs. Since the start of Trump’s second term, at least 2,153 people have been arrested in Queens—the highest total among the outer boroughs. The data also includes 5,300 arrests categorized simply as “New York,” which may include detentions at large ICE offices or immigration courts in Manhattan, as well as 56 specifically tagged arrests in Manhattan.

Neighborhood-level data for Queens shows concentrated enforcement in certain areas. Jamaica had 878 arrests, including detentions at John F. Kennedy International Airport. Corona recorded 217 arrests, while Flushing and East Elmhurst each saw significant numbers, with the latter including arrests at LaGuardia Airport. College Point, a neighborhood not previously highlighted in ICE data, reported 26 arrests since the start of the year.

Brooklyn followed with at least 552 arrests, The Bronx with 510, and Staten Island with 113. Deportations of people arrested within the city surged last summer and peaked over the winter but declined through January before rising again in July. In that same month, ICE arrested 175 children—the highest monthly total during Trump’s second term—though most were released the same day on recognizance. Among those detained in July, 49 children were subsequently deported.

The new data provides further insight into ICE enforcement patterns in New York City, reflecting both increased enforcement activity and shifts in how individuals are processed following arrest.