ICE Arrests EXPLODE — Raids to Expand

The Trump administration’s immigration enforcement machine is preparing to shift into overdrive, with border chief Tom Homan announcing that ICE arrests will “explode greatly” in 2026 after already achieving unprecedented daily arrest quotas throughout 2025.

Story Overview

ICE averaged over 1,000 arrests per day in 2025, with White House demanding escalation to 3,000 daily arrests
Trump officials removed multiple senior ICE leaders who failed to meet aggressive arrest quotas
Workplace raids largely avoided in 2025 will be significantly expanded in 2026
At least 170 American citizens have been detained during immigration enforcement operations
Stephen Miller threatened staff with termination for insufficient progress on mass deportation goals

The Quota System Driving Record Arrests

The Trump administration transformed immigration enforcement into a numbers game with devastating efficiency. Each ICE field office received orders to make 75 arrests per day, escalating the national target from a few hundred daily arrests to 1,500. When those numbers proved insufficient for White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, he demanded tripling arrests to 3,000 per day while threatening staff with demotions and termination.

This quota-driven approach represents a fundamental shift from targeted enforcement to mass arrest operations. The administration deployed new mapping technology containing information about 700,000 people under deportation orders, established tip lines for reporting undocumented immigrants, and reassigned human trafficking investigators to identify enforcement targets. The result speaks for itself: ICE achieved the highest number of arrests in its history.

Leadership Purges and Operational Escalation

The administration’s commitment to escalation became clear through systematic removal of officials who failed to meet targets. Senior ICE officials Russell Holt and Peter Berg were removed from their posts overseeing enforcement operations and reassigned to local offices when deportation numbers lagged. Acting ICE Director Caleb Vitello followed in February amid internal frustrations over agency progress.

Border Patrol Chief Greg Bovino exemplified the new aggressive approach, leading the “Midway Blitz” enforcement operation that launched in September with numerous raids, particularly targeting Chicago. The message became unmistakable: meet the numbers or face career consequences. This pressure-cooker environment produced results but at significant cost to due process and constitutional protections.

Workplace Raids and the 2026 Expansion Plan

Homan’s December announcement signals the next phase of enforcement escalation. While 2025 raids largely avoided farms, factories, and industrial sites, the administration plans to “absolutely” include expanded workplace enforcement in 2026. This represents a strategic shift that will disrupt labor-dependent industries including agriculture, construction, manufacturing, and hospitality sectors that rely heavily on immigrant workers.

The workplace enforcement expansion carries profound economic implications beyond immigration policy. Industries already facing labor shortages will experience additional disruption as enforcement targets the very workers keeping operations running. The administration appears willing to accept these economic costs in pursuit of its mass deportation agenda, viewing workplace raids as essential to demonstrating enforcement credibility.

Constitutional Violations and American Citizens Caught in the Net

The aggressive enforcement tactics have produced alarming collateral damage. ProPublica documented that at least 170 American citizens were detained during immigration raids and protests, with more than 20 held for over a day without access to family or lawyers. About 130 citizens, including a dozen elected officials, were arrested for allegedly interfering with enforcement operations, though charges were often dropped.

Federal agents employed indiscriminate enforcement based on appearance and presumed immigration status, tactics the Supreme Court controversially authorized in a decision featuring a notable concurring opinion by Justice Kavanaugh. The detention of American citizens represents a fundamental breakdown in due process protections, yet the administration shows no signs of modifying its approach. These “Kavanaugh Stops” have become standard operating procedure despite their obvious constitutional problems.