A major shift in immigration enforcement tactics by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has coincided with a dramatic increase in so-called at-large arrests — arrests carried out in communities rather than through detainers at local jails — according to newly analysed government data.

Since June 2025, ICE has markedly expanded its presence outside of traditional detention settings, pursuing individuals in homes, workplaces or public spaces as part of a broader strategy to boost overall arrest figures.

Over a five-month span ending in mid-October, the number of such interior arrests reached approximately 67,800, more than double the count from the preceding period and far exceeding previous monthly records.

Officials within the administration have framed the enhanced interior enforcement as necessary to uphold immigration laws and target serious offenders, pointing to an uptick in arrests nationwide as evidence of a strengthened approach.

Homeland Security representatives have maintained that the majority of those taken into custody by ICE have criminal convictions or pending charges.

Nonetheless, the data indicates that more than 60 per cent of individuals involved in these at-large operations did not have criminal convictions or pending criminal charges at the time of arrest, suggesting a broader application of at-large tactics than in past years.

This trend has been particularly visible in major metropolitan areas where enforcement sweeps have sought to increase arrest totals and meet intensified deportation goals.

Former senior officials and policy analysts have raised concerns about the shift in tactics, noting that at-large arrests generally demand more resources and can strain agency capacity while pulling officers into unpredictable community environments.

Critics argue that broader enforcement risks ensnaring people without serious criminal histories and undermining efforts to prioritise threats to public safety.

They also point to emerging patterns of immigration arrests occurring at courthouses and other routine public venues, a practice that has drawn legal scrutiny and debate.

Advocates for reform have highlighted the implications for lawful residents and U.S. citizens as well as migrants, with some testimony before lawmakers underscoring instances in which overly aggressive enforcement actions have swept up individuals who are not subject to removal.

As ICE’s interior enforcement continues to expand, the patterns revealed in the data have intensified national conversations over immigration priorities, resource allocation and the balance between law enforcement objectives and community trust.