ICE Paid Bonuses for Every Detention — Even When Arrests Are Later Found to Be Mistakes

In the midst of one of the most aggressive immigration enforcement campaigns in recent U.S. history, new data paints a revealing picture: Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has dramatically increased arrests as part of a broader strategy that includes performance incentives, controversial tactics, and expanded enforcement goals. 

A Record Break in Interior Enforcement

Data released late last year shows that ICE’s daily arrest figures have climbed sharply — from an average of roughly 300 arrests per day in early 2024 to more than 1,000 per day in recent months. These figures represent a significant departure from prior enforcement patterns and indicate an escalation in interior immigration operations targeting people beyond traditional border enforcement. 

Critics argue this is partly the result of new internal targets set by the Trump administration, which have pushed field offices to prioritize volume in detentions and arrests. Though the official daily quota of 3,000 arrests has not been consistently met, the push to increase numbers has reshaped enforcement priorities nationwide. 

Incentivizing Arrests: The Bonus Controversy

At the center of the debate is the notion — reported by multiple outlets — that ICE considered financial bonuses as part of recruitment and retention strategies tied to deportation performance. In 2025, an internal memo circulating within ICE outlined a pilot plan offering cash incentives tied to the pace of deportations, although the agency later rescinded the program. 

Under the now-withdrawn pilot, officers could receive hundreds of dollars for processing deportations quickly, a structure critics say could prioritize speed over due process. Though ICE officials later stated that “no such policy is in effect,” the episode revealed the agency’s interest in incentive-driven enforcement. 

Expansion Through Recruitment and Funding

Simultaneously, ICE has rolled out large sign-on bonuses and recruitment incentives to build its workforce, including tens of thousands of dollars for new agents — evidence of the scale and ambition of the current enforcement push. These bonuses are separate from the deportation-linked incentives but reflect a broader strategy of expanding federal capacity to detain and remove immigrants. 

This expansion is backed by substantial federal funding increases under recent immigration legislation. For example, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act includes tens of billions for ICE hiring, detention bed capacity, and deportation enforcement, underscoring how political priorities have reshaped the agency’s mandate. 

Who Is Being Arrested? Beyond “The Worst of the Worst”

Official statements from Homeland Security have emphasized targeting individuals with criminal convictions. Yet independent analyses show that a significant proportion of those detained have no criminal history at all — a shift some advocates link to the push for higher arrest totals rather than public safety outcomes. 

The result: communities across the U.S. have seen immigration enforcement penetrate everyday spaces — workplaces, homes, and routine public areas — sparking legal challenges and civil liberties concerns.

Looking Forward: Policy and Public Response

As lawmakers, civil rights advocates, and immigrant communities assess the impact of these enforcement practices, the debate around ICE’s role, funding, and incentive structures is intensifying. Questions about accountability, transparency, and fairness in immigration enforcement now play a central role in national discussions about border policy and civil rights protections.