The UCLA Center for Neighborhood Knowledge and the UCLA Asian American Studies Center released a joint research brief, “ICE Detentions of Asians: Increased Numbers and Hardships Under Trump.” The report details the Asian immigrant arrests by ICE surged during the first half of President Trump’s term. From February to July 2025, arrests more than tripled compared to the same period under the Biden administration, rising from 1,054 to 3,705. Arrests spiked in May with Trump’s push for one million deportations annually, peaked in June, and dipped in July under mounting opposition, court rulings, and overworked ICE staff.
Nearly all arrestees (96%) were detained, up from 88% the previous year. Transfers between detention centers also increased, which made it difficult for family members to locate the detainees and to help secure adequate legal counsel. California, Texas, and New York accounted for nearly half of all arrests, with California experiencing a ninefold jump.
Detainee demographics shifted notably: median age rose from 35 to 40, older detainees (55+) doubled their share, and female detainees rose by 471%, climbing from 9% to 14% of the total. Five countries—China, India, Vietnam, Laos, and Nepal—accounted for 82% of Asian detainees.
Despite Trump’s promise to target the “worst of the worst,” most detainees lacked criminal records. By June and July 2025, non-criminal detainees outnumbered those with convictions two to one. The report concludes that “the dragnet is expanding as the Trump administration hires more ICE agents, builds additional detention centers and has a freer hand to make indiscriminate stops that include elements of racial profiling.”
