Fact Check: "More than 58,000 immigrants were in ICE custody as of last week."
What We Know
The claim that "more than 58,000 immigrants were in ICE custody as of last week" requires verification against current data from credible sources. As of October 2023, the number of individuals in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody fluctuates based on various factors, including enforcement actions, policy changes, and legal proceedings.
ICE regularly publishes statistics regarding its detainee population, which can be accessed through its official reports. For instance, as of September 2023, ICE reported a daily average of approximately 55,000 detainees, which aligns closely with the claim but does not confirm it definitively for the specific timeframe mentioned (source).
Moreover, the number of detainees can change rapidly due to ongoing deportations and new arrests, making it challenging to pinpoint an exact figure for any given week without real-time data.
Analysis
The claim's accuracy hinges on the specific date referenced ("as of last week") and the current operational status of ICE. The most reliable data comes from ICE itself, which publishes regular updates on its detainee population. As noted, the reported average was around 55,000 in September 2023, suggesting that the claim could be plausible but is not conclusively verified without more recent data.
Additionally, various news outlets and advocacy groups track ICE detention statistics, but these figures can vary based on the methodology used for counting and the timing of reports. For example, organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) often provide analyses and updates on immigration detention, but their figures may differ from ICE's official numbers due to different reporting periods or definitions of custody (source).
The credibility of the sources providing this information is crucial. Official government reports from ICE are generally considered reliable, while advocacy groups may have biases that could influence their reporting. Therefore, while the claim is plausible, it lacks definitive confirmation from a single, authoritative source for the exact date in question.
Conclusion
Verdict: Unverified
The claim that "more than 58,000 immigrants were in ICE custody as of last week" is plausible but remains unverified due to the lack of specific, up-to-date data from ICE for that exact timeframe. The average reported number of detainees was around 55,000, which is close to the claim but does not confirm it. Without precise figures from the relevant week, the claim cannot be definitively validated.
