NEW YORK: Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has confirmed that at least 4,600 arrests were made across New York State in the first seven months of this year, already surpassing the total number of arrests recorded in all of last year.
The surge comes amid aggressive federal crackdowns on undocumented immigrants under the Trump administration. The highest concentration of arrests took place at the Federal Plaza Immigration Court in New York City, where more than 1,600 individuals were detained during court appearances or routine check-ins.
Upstate counties also saw significant enforcement activity, with 520 arrests reported in Erie County, 165 in Monroe County, and 130 and 118 in Albany and Saratoga counties, respectively.
Immigration advocates say the current operations mark a dramatic escalation, with even those regularly reporting to immigration offices being targeted. “We have not witnessed this level of arrests or such aggressive policies in many years,” said the president of the New York Immigration Coalition.
According to ICE, more than 300 people have been deported so far this year, while another 170 have voluntarily left the country.
The wave of arrests has fueled fear among immigrant and refugee communities statewide. Governor Kathy Hochul has pledged continued support for immigrant rights but emphasized that state authorities will cooperate with federal agencies in cases involving criminal offenders.
