Fact Check: "During 2024, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) was the arresting agency for an average of nearly 16,000 people a month who came into ICE custody."
What We Know
The claim states that in 2024, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency was responsible for arresting an average of nearly 16,000 individuals per month who subsequently entered the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). To evaluate this claim, we can refer to various statistics provided by ICE and CBP.
According to the ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Statistics, the agency publishes data on arrests, removals, and detentions, which are subject to fluctuation until finalized at the end of the fiscal year. The statistics are intended for public use, but the data may change as it is updated periodically.
The CBP Enforcement Statistics for Fiscal Year 2024 indicate that the agency tracks encounters, which include individuals deemed inadmissible at ports of entry and those expelled under Title 42. However, these statistics do not directly confirm the number of arrests leading to ICE custody.
Furthermore, the Custody and Transfer Statistics provide insights into the average number of individuals in custody, but again, do not specify the monthly arrest figures attributed to CBP leading to ICE custody.
Analysis
The claim that CBP was the arresting agency for an average of nearly 16,000 individuals per month in 2024 lacks direct support from the available data. While ICE provides a comprehensive overview of arrests and detentions, the specific figure of 16,000 per month is not explicitly stated in the sources reviewed.
The ICE updates online data dashboard mentions that total arrests of noncitizens with criminal convictions or pending charges increased by 7% in the first quarter of FY 2024 compared to the previous year, but does not break down the data to confirm the monthly average claimed.
Moreover, the CBP Enforcement Statistics and Custody and Transfer Statistics provide context about the encounters and custody but do not specifically attribute the average of 16,000 arrests per month to CBP leading to ICE custody.
The lack of explicit data supporting the claim, combined with the complexity of immigration statistics, suggests that the assertion may be an oversimplification or misinterpretation of the available statistics.
Conclusion
Needs Research: The claim that CBP was the arresting agency for an average of nearly 16,000 individuals per month who came into ICE custody during 2024 cannot be verified with the current data available from ICE and CBP. The statistics provided do not directly support this figure, and further investigation is needed to clarify the relationship between CBP arrests and ICE custody numbers.
Sources
- ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Statistics
- CBP Enforcement Statistics Fiscal Year 2024 | U.S. Customs and Border Protection
- Custody and Transfer Statistics Fiscal Year 2024
- ICE updates online data dashboard
- FY 2024 Detention Statistics
- CBP Enforcement Statistics
- Immigration Enforcement and Legal Processes Monthly Tables
- PDF GAO-24-106233, IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT: Arrests, Removals, and ...
