Immigration and Customs Enforcement runs one of the largest detention systems in the world. The system grew after the 1996 immigration laws required mandatory detention for many people. Most detainees are held in facilities operated by private prison companies or in county jails under contract.
Detention reached record levels in 2025 and 2026. More than 70,000 people were held on a single day in January 2026, the highest number in ICE's public data. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed in July 2025, provided $45 billion for detention, more than the agency had ever received for it. Many detainees have no criminal convictions.
Conditions are dangerous. In 2025, 32 people died in ICE custody, the most since 2004. Detainees have no right to a free lawyer, and remote facilities make it hard to find one.