New ICE Deployment Surge Targets Over 40 States, Expanding Harsh Immigration Enforcement Nationwide

A new wave of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deployments is quietly sweeping across the United States, impacting over 40 states and Puerto Rico, according to federal purchasing records reviewed by USA TODAY. This expansion signals a significant escalation in immigration enforcement efforts under the Biden administration, with hundreds of officers dispatched to cities large and small—from New York and Houston to Derby, Vermont, and Caribou, Maine.

The records reveal plans to deploy approximately 330 new ICE personnel, with Texas receiving the largest share at 49 officers. Other cities in the crosshairs include Miami, Atlanta, Baltimore, Nashville, and Seattle, alongside smaller, less expected locations such as Concho, Arizona, Manhattan, Kansas, and Hot Springs, South Dakota. These deployments focus on co-working office spaces rather than detention centers, providing a rare glimpse into the administration’s strategy to intensify enforcement nationwide.

This surge follows a period of high-profile, militarized raids that sparked public outrage and deadly consequences—most notably the January 2026 Minneapolis sweeps, where two American citizens, Alex Pretti and Renee Good, were fatally shot by federal agents during protests. Despite promises of a "softer touch" after these tragedies, the administration’s commitment to mass deportations remains unshaken.

Under new Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, ICE operations have become more discreet but no less aggressive. Mullin told Newsmax in May 2026 that the agency is “still on track, pushing as hard as we can,” emphasizing the need to operate “without being harassed by the media.” According to Mullin, ICE detained 1,900 people nationally in a single day recently and deported about 2,700 in just one week, holding more than 60,000 individuals in detention centers.

White House border czar Tom Homan has openly vowed to flood communities with ICE agents, particularly targeting cities that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. “You ain’t seen (expletive) yet,” Homan declared at the Border Security Expo in Phoenix, promising more agents than ever before. He dismisses concerns about targeting people without criminal records, arguing that anyone living illegally in the U.S. should be deported regardless.

This aggressive enforcement stance is backed by the massive funding boost from last summer’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which allocated over $170 billion to the Department of Homeland Security through 2029. This funding has allowed ICE to more than double its staff—from 10,000 officers to 22,000—fueling the rapid expansion of enforcement operations nationwide.

Public opinion is shifting against these tactics. An April 2026 Politico poll found that half of all Americans, including 25% of Trump voters, believe the mass deportation campaigns and ICE deployments have been too aggressive. Data from USA TODAY shows that as of April 4, 2026, 35% of people in immigration detention had no criminal record or pending charges, highlighting the broad net cast by ICE’s enforcement.

Local governments have pushed back, with many cities adopting policies that limit cooperation with ICE, including restricting access to local jails. The White House has responded with lawsuits against some jurisdictions, but courts have been reluctant to compel local authorities to assist federal immigration agents.

This new ICE deployment wave underscores the administration’s ongoing prioritization of harsh immigration enforcement, continuing the Trump-era legacy of mass deportations and militarized raids despite mounting public resistance and deadly consequences. The expansion of ICE’s footprint across the country signals a troubling intensification of policies that tear families apart and undermine civil rights under the guise of law and order.