(José Niño, Headline USA) U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is experiencing major capacity issues as its detention facilities are reported to be “maxed out” on bed space after the Trump administration has taken tougher border security measures.
According to a report by Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin, ICE and Department of Homeland Security senior staff revealed this information on a “background call” with several reporters. According to these officials’ revelations, the number of illegal aliens in detention centers hovers around 47,600.
In the first 50 days of his second term as president, over 32,000 criminal illegal aliens have been arrested. According to Melugin, senior officials gave him the following arrest numbers:
- Convicted criminals: 14,111
- Pending charges: 9,980
- Immigration violations (otherwise present illegally): 8,000+
ICE’s infrastructure constraints have reportedly resulted in some illegal immigrants being released back into the United States on a monitoring program.
Will Biagini of Texas Scorecard reported that as ICE is coping with infrastructure constraints, the Texas General Land Office obtained a 1,400-acre ranch in Starr County and finished a border wall construction project.
In correspondence with Texas Scorecard, Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham was asked if the Trump administration had manifested any desire in using the aforementioned land to build additional ICE detention facilities to facilitate the mass deportations Donald Trump campaigned on during the 2024 presidential election cycle.
Buckingham stated, “At this point, Texas Governor Greg Abbott has taken the lead in conversations with the Trump Administration on how our state can best aid in this mission and I am standing by to help in any way I can.”
She thanked President Trump for “keeping his promise to the American people by removing illegal criminals who pose a threat to the safety of our sons and daughters.”
The land commissioner stressed that national security and border security are intertwined. Without the latter, the former cannot be achieved.
“I applaud our talented DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and Border Czar Tom Homan’s dedication to safeguarding Americans,” Buckingham remarked. “As always, the Texas General Land Office is prepared to be a good partner to the Trump Administration should they need our assistance.”
The Trump administration’s current deportation rates are lower than those witnessed during Biden’s administration, which averaged roughly 57,000 deportations on a monthly basis in 2024.
In Trump’s first term (2017-2020), his administration deported an average of 300,000 immigrants annually, a figure lower than what occurred under the Trump administration.
José Niño is the deputy editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/JoseAlNino
