News from TRAC

ICE Now Monitors Record High Numbers of Immigrants on "Alternatives to Detention" Program

(03 Nov 2021) According to new data available through TRAC's 'Quick Facts' tools, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is now monitoring more than 136,000 immigrants on "Alternatives to Detention" (ATD) programs. ICE is now using a technology called SmartLink to monitor the bulk of immigrants enrolled in these programs. San Antonio surpassed San Francisco last September in having the largest number under ATD supervision.

ICE is required by Congress to release detention data. Unfortunately, the most recent data published by the agency includes significant errors which has prevented TRAC from updating all Quick Facts tools. Specifically, ICE's detention data mistakenly includes old data from fiscal year 2020 instead of data for the current fiscal year.

The Transactional Research Access Clearinghouse (TRAC) a research organization at Syracuse University created "Quick Facts" tools to provide a user-friendly way to see the latest updated data available on ICE immigrant detention and the Immigration Courts. The tools include easy-to-understand data in context and provide quotable descriptions.

New data updated in TRAC's Quick Facts tools show that:

ICE relied on detention facilities in Texas to house the most people, according to data released on October 28, 2021.
South Texas ICE Processing Center in Pearsall, Texas held the largest number of ICE detainees so far, averaging 822 per day (as of October 2021).
ICE Alternatives to Detention (ATD) programs are currently monitoring 136,026 families and single individuals, according to data released on October 28, 2021.
San Antonio's area office has the highest number in ICE's Alternatives to Detention (ATD) monitoring programs, according to data released on October 28, 2021.

TRAC's Quick Facts also include the following data points, which TRAC has not been able to update due to ICE's data management errors:

Immigration and Customs Enforcement held 22,129 in ICE detention according to data released on October 1, 2021.
16,740 out of 22,129—or 75.6%—held in ICE detention have no criminal record, according to data released on October 1, 2021. Many more have only minor offenses, including traffic violations.
ICE arrested 4,281 and CBP arrested 24,063 of the 28,344 people booked into detention by ICE during September 2021.

For more information, see TRAC's Quick Facts tools here or click here to learn more about TRAC's entire suite of immigration tools.

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