Alternatives to Detention

Beyond physical detention, ICE's Alternatives to Detention (ATD) programs are currently monitoring 179,991 families and individuals as of February 7, 2026. This represents more than 2.6 times the number of people held in physical detention. San Francisco's area office leads in ATD program usage with 20,504 monitored individuals, followed by Los Angeles (18,692), Chicago (18,602), Miami (17,979), and New York (10,698).

Monthly Bookings

In January 2026, ICE booked 39,694 people into detention facilities. Of these, ICE arrested 36,099 directly while Customs and Border Protection (CBP) arrested an additional 3,595.

Geographic Distribution

ICE Detention activity is concentrated in certain states. Texas leads the country with 18,734 detainees in FY 2026, followed by Louisiana (8,244), California (6,459), Florida (5,231), and Georgia (4,227).

At the facility level, ERO El Paso Camp East Montana in El Paso, Texas averaged the highest daily population, holding 2,954 detainees per day as of February 2026. Other high-volume facilities include locations in Natchez (2,191), Lumpkin (2,009), Adelanto (1,802), and Pearsall (1,759).

Summary

As of early 2026, the total number of individuals either detained or monitored through ATD programs stands at approximately 248,280. The data reflects a detention system that is both geographically concentrated — particularly in Texas — and increasingly supplemented by electronic monitoring alternatives.

TRAC has added the latest posted ICE figures to its online tools which track immigration enforcement over time on its website at tracreports.org. It’s TRACmeters at the top of the immigration section provide the latest figures on immigration arrests, individuals in ICE custody, criminal immigration prosecutions, and the Immigration Court’s backlog and removal decisions so you can always be sure of having the latest figures. Clicking on the entry in a TRACmeter brings you to a Quick Facts page showing more detail with “see more data” links to more in-depth information.

TRAC's Immigration Quick Facts provides the latest data on immigrant detention, immigration court cases, and immigration prosecutions in federal court. Each page includes several key data points alongside a graphic or table, a short description for context, and a link to more data. Click here to see more about TRAC's entire suite of immigration tools.