ICE receives directive to boost daily arrests amid Republican concerns

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have been instructed to raise daily immigration arrests by 1,000, bringing the daily goal back to 3,000 and establishing a weekly target of 19,000 arrests. This would surpass any weekly total recorded during the Trump administration. Arrests have already been climbing, with a June weekly high of 12,500 and an August monthly record of about 51,000.

The White House seeks to highlight these numbers ahead of the midterm elections, but Republican Representative Maria Elvira Salazar, whose district is heavily Hispanic, has publicly warned that the aggressive enforcement may backfire. Despite the heightened targets, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson reiterated that ICE has no formal quotas. The surge is straining detention capacity, leading the agency to solicit contractors for temporary facilities, and follows recent controversy over vehicle stop policies.