Two Indian nationals have been arrested by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in San Diego due to their “criminal history”, which includes a hit-and-run case, according to an official statement on X.
The first man, identified as Jaskaran Singh, was termed a ‘criminal alien from India’ and served with a final order of removal. He will remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings, authorities said.
Who else was arrested?
Jaskaran’s arrest came a day after authorities announced they had arrested Jashanpreet Singh over his “criminal history,” which included threatening a crime with intent to terrorise, assault with a deadly weapon, and driving under influence (DUI).
Arrests and detentions by ICE
Since President Donald Trump began his second term, arrests by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have increased significantly, from about 40,000 to roughly 75,000 people. Those detained are now held in more than 225 facilities as the government continues to expand detention capacity, according to the Associated Press.
The largest of these facilities is Camp East Montana, located in El Paso, Texas, where around 3,000 detainees are housed on an average day.
ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations division is tasked with identifying, arresting, and removing individuals who have violated US immigration laws. The agency’s public statements in these cases emphasised the detainees’ criminal histories and their status in ongoing removal processes.
The Trump administration has repeatedly said its mass deportation campaign targeted immigrants who posed threats to public safety. However, data from the Deportation Data Project, cited by the Associated Press, indicated that the proportion of people arrested by ICE who have criminal records has been declining over time.
Meanwhile, Trump dismissed Kristi Noem as Homeland Security secretary after months of controversy. The issues included the fatal shootings of two US citizens by federal officers during an immigration crackdown in Minneapolis and scrutiny from lawmakers over a $220 million advertising contract.