Migration Policy Institute

In July 2026, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested 51,000 immigrants, setting a record for the Trump administration. While agents employed new tactics like airport arrests, experts questioned if increased arrest quotas would translate into higher deportation numbers. Additionally, stricter rules on visas taking effect in September could cost the nation’s economy up to $145 billion per year by 2035.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested more people in July than any previous month of the Trump administration by employing new tactics like checkpoints and arresting academics. Experts noted that the focus on high arrest numbers often detains non-criminals with expired visas, leading to a confusing public mission statement. Additionally, a new September rule setting stricter visa time limits could potentially cost the nation's economy up to $145 billion per year by 2035.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement reported 51,000 arrests in July—the highest number recorded by the Trump administration—using new tactics such as airport detentions and National Forest checkpoints. However, policy analysts warn that focusing on high arrest numbers does not guarantee increased deportations, noting that many arrested are non-criminals who merely possess an expired visa. Furthermore, a pending rule is expected to impose stricter time limits on visas for students and researchers, potentially costing the nation's economy $145 billion per year by 2035.

New estimates indicate the U.S. undocumented immigrant population reached 15.8 million by mid-2024, up from 11 million in the 2010s. The Migration Policy Institute and The Center for Migration Studies of New York attribute the increase to record unauthorized border arrivals and expanded humanitarian parole programs under the Biden administration.

New estimates show the U.S. undocumented immigrant population increased from 11 million in the 2010s to 14.6–15.8 million by mid-2024, driven by border arrivals and humanitarian parole programs. The Migration Policy Institute and the Center for Migration Studies of New York provided these figures, with California having the largest undocumented population at 2.6 million.

New estimates show the U.S. undocumented immigrant population rose from 11 million in the 2010s to 15.8 million by mid-2024, driven by border arrivals and humanitarian parole programs. The Migration Policy Institute and Center for Migration Studies provided conflicting figures, with the latter citing state-level breakdowns showing California as the largest hub at 2.6 million.

New estimates indicate the U.S. undocumented immigrant population reached 14.6 million to 15.8 million by mid-2024, up from 11 million in the 2010s. The increase is attributed to record unauthorized border arrivals and expanded humanitarian parole programs under the Biden administration. Discrepancies in data arise due to immigrants' reluctance to participate in surveys amid heightened enforcement fears.

The unauthorized U.S. immigrant population reached 15.8 million in 2024, driven by high southern border migration and Biden administration policies like humanitarian parole and the CBP One app. A potential decrease is projected under a second Trump administration due to increased deportations.

Estimates show the U.S. undocumented immigrant population rose to 14.6–15.8 million by mid-2024, up from 11 million in the 2010s. The Migration Policy Institute and Center for Migration Studies of New York attributed the increase to record border arrivals and expanded humanitarian parole programs under the Biden administration. California had the largest undocumented population at 2.6 million, followed by Texas with 2.3 million.

The unauthorized U.S. immigrant population reached 15.8 million in 2024, a record high driven by increased southern border migration and Biden administration policies like humanitarian parole. The report projects potential decreases under the second Trump administration’s deportation efforts.

The unauthorized U.S. immigrant population reached 15.8 million in 2024, driven by high southern border migration and Biden administration policies like humanitarian parole and the CBP One app. The report notes a shift in origin countries, with a decline in Mexican migrants and increases from Central/South America, including Venezuelans, Ecuadorians, and Colombians.

The unauthorized U.S. immigrant population reached 15.8 million in 2024, driven by high southern border migration and Biden administration policies like humanitarian parole programs and the CBP One app. The report attributes growth to post-pandemic economic recovery and displacement in the Americas, with Central and South American migrants now comprising a larger share than Mexicans.

The unauthorized U.S. immigrant population reached 15.8 million in 2024, driven by high southern border migration and Biden administration policies like humanitarian parole and the CBP One app. The report projects potential decreases under a second Trump administration's deportation efforts and notes a shift in origins toward Central and South America, particularly Venezuela, Ecuador, and Colombia.

The Mexico-born population in the U.S. declined to 11.1 million in 2024, down from a peak of 11.7 million in 2007, according to the Migration Policy Institute. The decline is attributed to increased immigration enforcement and a 55-year low in unauthorized border crossings, with Mexicans representing 47% of such encounters in 2025.

New Jersey has invested a record $1.4 billion in preschool education, but challenges remain in providing consistent language support for multilingual learners. While state laws mandate language services, implementation varies across districts, and preschoolers were only recently included in multilingual learner policies. Over 47% of children ages 0–5 in the state are multilingual learners, yet infrastructure and targeted approaches are still lacking.

The Supreme Court's immigration rulings and their potential impact on asylum are discussed by Amna Nawaz with Doris Meissner, a senior fellow at the Migration Policy Institute. Meissner previously held leadership roles at the Immigration and Naturalization Service under President Reagan and President Clinton.

New Jersey has invested a record $1.4 billion in preschool education, but support for multilingual learners remains inconsistent despite state mandates. While the state recently updated policies to include preschoolers as multilingual learners, experts argue that infrastructure and targeted funding are needed to address language barriers for over 11,300 preschool-aged students identified as multilingual learners.

Arizona has one of the highest numbers of bilingual children but ranks poorly in preschool support for dual language learners. A report by the National Institute for Early Education Research highlights insufficient eligibility criteria and policies, resulting in only 23% of state-funded preschool students being bilingual despite 41% of three- and four-year-olds in Arizona being dual language learners.

Voluntary departure agreements in immigration courts increased sevenfold under the Trump administration compared to the Biden era, with critics alleging pressure on immigrants to leave despite legal rights to remain. Detention centers face scrutiny for squalid conditions and mandatory detention policies, prompting concerns about humane treatment and forced exits.

Voluntary departure agreements in immigration courts surged sevenfold under the Trump administration compared to Biden's term, raising concerns about unfair pressure on immigrants to leave despite legal rights to stay. Mandatory detention without bond and squalid detention conditions are cited as factors driving immigrants to accept voluntary departure, which requires paying for their own departure and facing fines for delays.

Voluntary departure agreements in immigration courts increased sevenfold under the Trump administration, with immigrants facing squalid detention conditions and pressure to leave despite legal rights to stay. Mandatory detention policies and dire facility conditions are cited as factors driving immigrants to accept voluntary departure, which requires self-funded departure and fines for delays.

Voluntary departure agreements in immigration courts surged under the Trump administration, with 89,494 cases as of May 1, 2025, compared to 11,977 in the last 16 months of the Biden administration. A mandatory detention policy without bond and squalid detention conditions are cited as factors pressuring immigrants to leave, even if they have legal rights to remain.

A surge in voluntary departure agreements under the Trump administration has raised concerns about unfair pressure on immigrants to leave the U.S., despite legal rights to stay. Mandatory detention policies and squalid detention conditions are cited as factors driving the sevenfold increase compared to the Biden administration's figures.

Voluntary departure agreements in immigration courts surged under the Trump administration, with 89,494 cases by May 2025, a sevenfold increase compared to Biden's 16-month total. Mandatory detention without bond and squalid detention conditions are pressuring immigrants to leave, even if they have legal rights to stay.

Voluntary departure agreements in immigration courts have surged sevenfold under the Trump administration compared to the Biden administration, with concerns that immigrants are pressured to leave due to squalid detention conditions and mandatory detention policies. A lawsuit alleges the Broadview detention center in Illinois pressured immigrants to sign voluntary departure papers.

Voluntary departure agreements in U.S. immigration courts surged sevenfold under the Trump administration compared to the Biden era, with concerns that immigrants are pressured to leave due to squalid detention conditions and mandatory detention policies. The rise coincides with a policy requiring detention without bond, which critics argue forces individuals into costly voluntary departure to escape inhumane facilities.