Alert: these are the new alternatives to detain immigrants in the United States in response to the increase in arrests
The Donald Trump administration is close to surpassing, in just a couple of months, the number of immigration detentions made by Joe Biden throughout 2024.
More information: Raids in the United States: detention centers reach the "limit"; how can this affect operations?
After it was reported through the NBC News media outlet in previous weeks, President Donald Trump's alleged displeasure with the low number of immigrants detained and deported during the early weeks of his administration, the immigration landscape has changed radically to the point where the agencies in charge of these operations are now seeking alternative arrest options due to the marked increase.
According to recent data from high-ranking officials of the Department of Homeland Security of the United States (DHS), the number of arrests by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, as of March 10th, has reached 32,809, a figure almost similar to the number of detentions made during former President Joe Biden's administration throughout 2024.
As a result of this, and given the "limit" reached by the ICE detention centers, various organizations within the Federal Government have proposed alternatives to the current system regarding the future of operations.
The new detention alternatives
In a first instance, it has been mentioned that one of the main alternatives could be carried out through a community monitoring program, which involves community involvement in tasks of observation, recording, and data analysis about their environment, in this case, immigrants.
Another option to detention is electronic monitoring, very similar to what is done with individuals wearing special devices for home arrests. Previously, ICE has conducted some experiments or tests regarding the use of electronic ankle monitors in certain cases.
However, due to the little "experience" with this type of method, the practice has not been adopted on a large scale. This has not prevented various lawmakers from proposing this alternative with the intention of reducing the number of people in detention centers.
In addition to all of the above, the Federal Government of the United States is evaluating the possibility of modifying immigration policies with the aim of implementing new strategies to manage flows or processes without totally relying on prolonged detention.
Furthermore, lawmakers from various sectors have proposed adjustments to the asylum application processing system to avoid "long lines" in detention centers.
According to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC), these are the states with the highest number of detentions up to the present:
- Texas: 6,461 detainees
- Louisiana: 4,435 detainees
- Mississippi: 2,135 detainees
- Georgia: 1,514 detainees
- California: 1,377 detainees
- Arizona: 1,312 detainees
- Pennsylvania: 1,173 detainees
- Colorado: 1,164 detainees
- New Mexico: 808 detainees
- Florida: 765 detainees
*This article has been automatically translated using artificial intelligence
