Trump’s detention empire

How many people are being held?

As of mid-January, Immigration and Customs Enforcement had some 73,000 people in detention, its highest number ever and an 81% increase from the same point in 2025. The numbers are spiking not only because of the Trump administration’s enforcement blitz, but also because of a radical shift away from decades-old policies. People charged with civil immigration violations—such as entering the U.S. unlawfully or overstaying a visa—now face mandatory detention while their cases wind through overtaxed courts.