Trump’s Immigration Crackdown: Migrant Detention in the U.S. Hits Record High
Over 60,000 migrants are now held in U.S. detention centers, with hidden facilities and military bases expanding the system under Trump’s policies.
The number of people held in U.S. immigration detention centers has risen by more than 50% since President Donald Trump took office, excluding thousands more detainees unaccounted for in official tallies.
According to the latest government data, there are now a record-breaking 60,000 migrants officially held in long-term detention centers, up from about 39,000 at the end of President Biden’s administration.
Hidden Numbers Beyond Official Records
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) figures do not include detainees in newly opened facilities such as Florida’s notorious “Alligator Alcatraz” prison, short-term holding rooms, or military bases. Reports suggest hundreds more migrants are being held in these unofficial facilities without appearing in ICE statistics.
Civil rights lawyers argue that ICE’s reported numbers grossly understate the true scale of detention. For example, roughly 700 people were detained in “Alligator Alcatraz” within weeks of its July opening, yet they did not appear in federal records.
Federal Court Challenges and Expanding Facilities
Recently, a federal judge ordered the closure of Florida’s Everglades detention center after activists raised environmental and human rights concerns. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis vowed to appeal the decision.
Meanwhile, DHS is moving forward with plans to expand detention capacity nationwide. Military bases like Fort Bliss in Texas are now being used to detain migrants, and reports confirm that detainees in such facilities are not included in DHS’s official counts.
Rights Concerns and “Black Sites”
Advocacy groups warn of “black sites” – secretive detention facilities where access to lawyers is restricted. Critics compare these sites to CIA prisons during the “war on terror,” suggesting deliberate attempts to limit legal protections for detainees.
Legal experts stress that the lack of transparency makes it nearly impossible for families and lawyers to locate or contact detainees. Civil liberties organizations argue that solitary confinement and denial of counsel violate constitutional rights.
Financial Incentives and Private Prisons
Private prison companies like CoreCivic and GEO Group are expected to profit from this expansion, with new detention centers planned in Indiana, Nebraska, and Louisiana. Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” which boosted DHS funding, has fueled this surge.
A New Era of Mass Detention
With migrant detention surpassing records from both 2019 and earlier Trump years, human rights advocates warn of a dangerous precedent. The U.S. system is rapidly evolving into one of mass incarceration, combining official detention centers, hidden prisons, and military facilities under the banner of immigration enforcement.
