ICE arrested 261 DACA recipients in Trump’s first 10 months

DACA arrests have reached 261 during the first 10 months of President Donald Trump’s second term, according to federal congressional data, raising new concerns about the limits of protections for undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children.

Figures provided to Congress show that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested 261 recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program between the start of the administration and November 19 of last year. All were placed in federal immigration detention facilities, and 86 of them were ultimately deported.

Authorities said most of those arrested had prior criminal records, according to the data.

Immigration Enforcement Intensifies

The DACA arrests come as federal immigration enforcement has intensified nationwide under the current administration. Immigration authorities have expanded detention operations and stepped up efforts to locate individuals with criminal histories who also hold temporary immigration protections.

While the DACA program provides temporary protection from deportation and work authorization, it does not grant permanent legal status. As a result, recipients can still face detention or removal under certain circumstances, particularly if they are accused or convicted of crimes.

Senators Raise Concerns Over Deportation Case

Amid the enforcement actions, two Democratic senators — Alex Padilla of California and Dick Durbin of Illinois — have urged the Department of Homeland Security to allow a recently deported California DACA recipient to return to the United States.

The case involves Maria de Jesús Estrada Juárez, 42, who was detained last month in Sacramento while attending an interview for permanent residency. She was deported to Mexico within 24 hours despite having lived in the United States for 27 years, maintaining DACA status, and having no criminal record.

The senators argued that DACA recipients have already undergone background checks and must meet education or employment requirements. They said the federal government should honor the protections previously promised to program participants and called on Congress to pass legislation granting them permanent legal status.

What the DACA Program Provides

Established in 2012 through an executive action by the Obama administration, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program offers temporary deportation relief to certain undocumented immigrants who entered the United States as minors or overstayed visas.

Eligible participants can receive renewable two-year periods of deportation deferral along with authorization to work legally in the country. However, the policy remains temporary and subject to changes in federal immigration enforcement priorities.

As debates over immigration policy continue in Washington, the recent rise in DACA arrests highlights ongoing uncertainty surrounding the future of the program and the protections available to its roughly hundreds of thousands of recipients nationwide.

BY EUNYOUNG LEE   [lee.eunyoung6@koreadaily.com]