North Carolina ICE Arrests Surge in 2025, Deportations Expected to Rise

(NORTH CAROLINA) ICE arrests in North Carolina have surged in 2025, nearly tripling compared to the same period last year, with deportations also rising fast. Immigration and Customs Enforcement data reviewed by local researchers and media show a 160–170% increase in arrests since President Trump returned to office in January. From January 20 to June 26, 2025, ICE arrested 1,822 people, up from 674 during the same stretch in 2024. Other tallies for the first six months range from 1,600 to 1,661, depending on the source, but all point in the same direction: arrest numbers are climbing quickly, and deportations are following.

By early June, close to 1,000 people had already been deported, according to data shared with North Carolina outlets that track enforcement. By late July, more than half of those arrested since January had been removed from the United States. The pace — reported by the Deportation Data Project and stations including WUNC, WFAE, and BPR — reflects a broad enforcement push and a policy shift that now treats any undocumented presence as a priority for arrest.

Enforcement surge and who is being arrested

The profile of recent ICE arrests shows a sharp change from last year. In 2024, 67–68% of those arrested in North Carolina had criminal convictions. In 2025 so far, that share has dropped to 46–52%, while arrests of people without criminal convictions have grown.

• About 20% of arrests this year are people picked up solely for being undocumented, a civil offense. This marks a clear move away from the prior focus on criminal history.
• ICE’s acting director said in July the agency is now arresting anyone found to be undocumented, regardless of past convictions, and is making collateral arrests more often.
• Collateral arrests occur when officers detain people who weren’t the original target but are discovered during an operation. This practice helps explain the rise in non-criminal arrests and the broader reach of operations in homes, parking lots, and job sites.

Demographics and origin countries (first half of 2025)

• 92% of those arrested are men.
• Country breakdown:
  • Mexico: 46%
  • Honduras: 17%
  • Guatemala: 10%
  • Venezuela: 6%
  • El Salvador: 6%
  • Nicaragua: 3%
  • Colombia: 2%
  • Peru: 1%

These figures reflect long-standing migration patterns in the state and increased arrivals from Venezuela and Nicaragua during recent regional crises.

Geographic concentration

• Mecklenburg County (Charlotte): 436 arrests in the first half of 2025 — the highest of any county.
• Wake and Cabarrus counties followed.
• The Charlotte region accounted for 25–38% of statewide arrests, highlighting heavy reliance on local jail transfers and concentrated regional field activity.

How arrests happen and where they occur

Patterns of arrest location and transfer:

• More than 60% of arrests in 2025 came through transfers from local jails to ICE.
  • This flow is driven by the Criminal Alien Program and county-level 287(g) partnerships that allow sheriff’s offices to collaborate with ICE on immigration checks in jails.
• Public arrests — including at homes, during traffic stops, and at or near workplaces — comprised about 27% of arrests, with a spike reported in May and June.

Policy drivers

• House Bill 10, in effect since December 2024, requires local jails to cooperate with ICE on detainers and information sharing.
  • Attorneys and advocates say HB 10 has made it easier and faster for ICE to take custody of people from county facilities, contributing to the sharp rise this year.
• Federal policy changes have also prioritized mass deportations and broader enforcement since January, a stance reflected in ICE operations nationwide.

National context

• Across the country, arrests have increased by about 124% since January 2025, with similar or larger jumps in several states.
• North Carolina’s surge aligns with this broader pattern, and senior officials indicate enforcement will continue through the end of the year.

“The pipeline from arrest to deportation appears faster than last year,” — data and advocates’ observations reflect how expedited removals shorten windows for legal defense.

Impact on families, attorneys, and communities

Immediate effects

• Immigration attorneys report being overwhelmed by calls and cases, especially when clients move quickly from arrest to transfer and then to removal flights.
• High volume makes it harder to ensure due process for people who may qualify for relief but cannot gather records or find counsel in time.
• community groups describe growing fear that lowers attendance at public events and causes people to skip routine tasks like going to work, school, or renewing car tags.

Risk profile and common pathways to arrest

• Most arrests still begin in local jails, often after a traffic stop or minor charge that leads to a fingerprint match.
• With public operations and collateral arrests rising, people can be detained even if they weren’t the original focus of an operation.
• Analysis by VisaVerge.com indicates that the mix of jail transfers and street-level actions increases exposure for mixed-status households and for workers commuting across county lines.

People with pending cases or older removal orders

• Individuals with pending filings or older removal orders are also being picked up. Court filings do not necessarily prevent an arrest.
• For questions about bond, supervision, or check-ins, individuals can review ICE’s official guidance at ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations. The site explains custody, supervision, and removal procedures and offers contacts for detainee locators and field offices.

Legal readiness recommendations

• Defense lawyers urge families to prepare key documents in case of detainment:
  • Identity papers
  • Proof of residence
  • School records
  • Medical files

County differences and what to expect

• Mecklenburg’s high volume reflects its size and local cooperation agreements that feed arrests. Wake and Cabarrus follow similar patterns.
• Rural counties add to totals via jail transfers, particularly where 287(g) agreements and HB 10 procedures exist.
• Public arrests — which rose in late spring — expand risk beyond big metro areas.

Outlook

• With state law strengthening jail cooperation and federal directives focused on broader enforcement, experts expect high numbers of ICE arrests and deportations to continue through the rest of 2025.
• The current trend suggests continued emphasis on people without criminal convictions, given this year’s shift in arrest shares.

Key takeaway: In North Carolina, enforcement has widened, detention has sped up, and deportations are proceeding at a rate not seen in recent years.

For now, attorneys, community groups, and families are bracing for sustained pressure. They advise people to know their rights during home or street encounters, keep emergency plans, and save important phone numbers.