Illegal Immigrants Apprehended

This form reports the number of aliens apprehended by region and country of nationalization. These actions include the apprehension or arrest, detention, return, and removal from the United States of foreign nationals who are removable under U.S. immigration law.  Foreign nationals may be removable from the United States for violations including failure to abide by the terms and conditions of admission or engaging in crimes such as violent crimes, document and benefit fraud, terrorist activity, and drug smuggling.

2008 data include administrative arrests conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).  Data from 2009 to the present include administrative arrests conducted by ICE ERO and administrative arrests conducted under the 287(g) program.  The counting methodology for administrative arrests by ICE was revised to align with reporting for 2016; prior to 2016, only one administrative arrest was counted.

Primary responsibility for the enforcement of immigration law within DHS rests with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). CBP is generally responsible for immigration enforcement at and between the ports of entry and ICE is generally responsible for interior enforcement.

Totals reported by the source for regions and countries may be slightly different.  We assume this may be to the exclusion or inclusion of some countries in these totals.