The number of illegal immigrants in federal detention centers has skyrocketed by 50% since President Donald Trump returned to office, according to government data obtained by Axios.<\/p>\n
More than 60,000 migrants are currently being held in long-term ICE facilities \u2014 up from roughly 39,000 reported during the Biden administration. And this figure does not even include detainees held in newly opened centers such as the controversial \u201cAlligator Alcatraz\u201d in Florida\u2019s Everglades.<\/p>\n
Judicial and Political Battle
\nU.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams, an Obama appointee, ordered \u201cAlligator Alcatraz\u201d to be shut down on environmental grounds. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis immediately pushed back, vowing to fight the ruling and keep the facility open.<\/p>\n
Expansion Across the Country
\nOver the past two months, the Trump administration has dramatically expanded ICE detention capacity:<\/p>\n
Camp Atterbury (Indiana) \u2013 34,000-acre National Guard base converted to hold detainees.
\nJoint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (New Jersey) \u2013 42,000-acre military base now set up as a holding facility.
\nFort Bliss (Texas) \u2013 $1.2 billion contract awarded to build the largest detention center in U.S. history, with capacity for 5,000 migrants.
\nBiden-Era Concerns
\nJust before leaving office, the Biden administration quietly introduced a controversial ICE Portal app in New York City that allowed migrants to check in remotely instead of in-person. Critics argued the app could make it easier for migrants to evade federal authorities, citing glitches and reliability issues.<\/p>\n
Record Preservation Dispute
\nHouse Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan had already demanded that Biden\u2019s top officials preserve all records related to immigration enforcement, fearing they might destroy evidence of lenient border policies before Trump took over.<\/p>\n
The Bigger Picture
\nAs detention centers fill to record levels, Trump\u2019s crackdown signals the most aggressive shift in U.S. immigration enforcement in decades. Supporters hail it as long-overdue accountability, while critics warn of humanitarian and environmental crises ahead.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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