Since President Donald Trump was inaugurated in January of this year, the total number of Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees has increased by over 20,000 people. As of September 2025, there were 59,762 people being held in immigration detention centers nationwide.
Due to such a rapid increase in detainees, detention centers are overcrowded, contributing to inhumane and troubling conditions. Many people have been given spoiled food and non-potable water, had no access to showers or clean clothes and face medical neglect for both physical and mental health concerns.
At least 23 deaths occurred in ICE detention during fiscal year 2025, an increase from 24 deaths in the prior four years combined. Several of these deaths were a result of apparent suicide due to the grueling conditions.
Although Trump and his administration promised to target “the worst of the worst,” 71.5% of those detained have no criminal convictions.
Many people have also been denied due process. The National Immigrant Justice Center states there must be probable cause that an individual is violating immigration laws and that they’re likely to escape before a warrant for arrest can be obtained. The agency’s policies list one of the most significant factors in determining the likelihood of escape is their ties to the community.
If these requirements are not met, the ICE agent is not legally permitted to make a warrantless arrest. Nonetheless, many long-term community members in the Chicago area were arrested without warrant by ICE and Border Patrol in early September during “Operation Midway Blitz.” The operation led to over 3,000 arrests by the end of October, many of these arrests being “collateral arrests” by ICE agents patrolling the streets.
A WBEZ Chicago interview with U.S. Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino revealed the collateral arrests in Downtown Chicago are partly based on “how they look.” Bovino has claimed his comments were taken out of context, but the unedited recording of the interview says otherwise.
Rather than seeking individuals who have raised legitimate suspicion of illegal activities, ICE is increasingly concerned with the appearance of arrestees.
While the arrests themselves are unjust, the violent methods used are even more so. In a “60 Minutes” interview with Trump, Norah O’Donnell described agents tackling young mothers, tear gassing in residential areas and smashing car windows during ICE arrests.
When asked if he felt ICE has gone too far with such tactics, Trump boldly states, “I think they haven’t gone far enough.”
It is this rhetoric that led ICE agents to detain pre-K teacher Diana Patricia Satillana Galeano on Nov. 5, following her into her place of work and dragging her out. Parents and children watched as this took place during one of the busiest hours of drop-off, according to Chris Widen, whose 4-month-old son is taught by Galeano.
DHS has disputed this narrative, claiming they attempted to conduct a targeted traffic stop prior to arriving at the learning center, and that they did not enter the building.
However, numerous eyewitnesses, including U.S. Rep. Delia Ramirez, D-Illinois, stated the ICE agents entered the facility and went room to room looking for teachers while young children watched. Ramirez and other elected officials are calling for a federal review of the agents’ actions.
The Trump administration pushes the narrative that detainees are dangerous, and that ICE is protecting the “American way of life.” ICE admitted in court that they identify people with pending charges or whose charges were dismissed as criminals, dismissing the right to a fair trial.
Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, who served during Trump’s first term as senior advisor and speechwriter, has been one of the most active ICE proponents.
At a meeting between Miller and ICE’s top 50 field agents, Miller “eviscerated” everyone for not detaining more people who aren’t criminals. Miller’s desire to have everyone arrested with or without a basis for arrest is very clear, asking the field agents, “Why aren’t you at Home Depot? Why aren’t you at 7-Eleven?”
Since this meeting, the prevalence of aggressive collateral and warrantless ICE arrests has increased drastically, and their impact on communities is widespread.
Miller told Fox News that ICE is looking to arrest at least 3,000 people a day, proudly stating Trump is going to continuously raise that number. White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson also emphasized the administration’s determination to “aggressively and efficiently” deport undocumented immigrants.
As of April, the University Police Department and the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office signed a 287(g) agreement allowing ICE to intervene on UF’s campus. This followed the detainment of UF student Felipe Zapata Velásquez, despite no previous criminal record.
Since then, students have been speaking out for others that can’t speak out for themselves. A recent protest on Nov. 5 shows their continuous effort to protect students and the community.
Regardless of your stance on immigration, needless aggression for the sake of efficiency is unacceptable. This blatant lack of empathy is not just impacting immigrants — it’s impacting entire communities nationwide.
Kendall O’Connor is a 20-year-old UF English junior.
