• 947

Per the recent data released by the agency, ICE currently holds the record 55,185 individuals in its custody. Contrary to the popular belief, significant increase in the number of detainees is due, mostly, to prolonged detentions vs. border apprehensions. The average length of stay in detention is currently 46 days. These extended detentions drain ICE’s capacities, as the current number of detainees exceeds the number of beds in ICE’s facilities around the country; Congress is only currently funding approximately 45,000 detention beds. While the government can expand ICE’s detention capacity by taking funds from other agencies (such as the U.S. Coast Guard), the continued expansion of the detention facilities and growing number of detainees bring into question whether the measures are rendering productive results. Most questions are related to the change of approach from prioritizing detention of immigrants with criminal convictions to arresting a much broader swath of individuals without legal status (e.g., asylum seekers denied release on bond or bond hearings altogether).