(UTAH, UNITED STATES) — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has stepped up arrests and expanded partnerships with local law enforcement in Utah since President Trump took office in January 2025, part of what the Department of Homeland Security has described as an enforcement surge heading into 2026.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem framed 2025 as a benchmark year in a Dec. 28, 2025 statement, saying:
“Under President Trump’s leadership, we are making America safe again and putting the American people first. In record time, we have secured the border, taken the fight to cartels and arrested thousands upon thousands of criminal illegal aliens. Though 2025 was historic, we won’t rest until the job is done.”
Administration statements and staffing increases
A day after the administration marked its first year, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said on Jan. 5, 2026:
“The first year of the Trump Administration marked record-breaking progress in removing criminal illegal aliens, and DHS will be doubling down on those accomplishments in 2026 with our more than 12,000 new officers and agents. President Trump and Secretary Noem unleashed ICE to get criminal illegal aliens off our streets and out of our country.”
ICE announced a 120% increase in manpower on January 3, 2026, reporting it had hired 11,751 new law enforcement officers and agents in a single year. The agency published that recruitment update in a press release: ICE Press Release: ICE Announces Historic 120% Manpower Increase (Jan 3, 2026).
Scope and methods of enforcement changes
- Nationally, at-large arrests — those occurring in homes, workplaces, or public spaces — more than quadrupled compared with the previous Trump term, reaching an average of 2,637 per week by late 2025.
- DHS rescinded protections for “sensitive locations” in January 2025, authorizing federal officers to make arrests in schools, churches, and hospitals.
- As a result, ICE has carried out more arrests away from jail settings and increased cooperation agreements with counties.
Local responses: schools, airports, and travel advice
Following the sensitive-locations policy change, Utah school districts including Granite and Salt Lake City sent notifications to parents in early 2025 assuring them that children are welcome regardless of status.
A widely publicized arrest at Salt Lake City International Airport in October 2025 involved a woman with a prior removal order but no criminal record. ICE described that event as a “targeted enforcement operation.” Immigration attorneys called the incident a “turning point,” reporting they now advise clients with pending status to avoid even domestic air travel.
- Naturalized citizens and permanent residents in Utah report more frequent secondary screenings at airports and public transport hubs.
- Federal immigration checks now occur more often in public spaces due to the increase in at-large arrests.
County cooperation and 287(g) agreements
Seven Utah counties have formalized cooperation with ICE through 287(g) agreements. These are:
| Counties with 287(g) agreements |
|---|
| Beaver |
| Kane |
| Sanpete |
| Tooele |
| Utah |
| Washington |
| Weber |
| Utah Department of Corrections |
- Agencies such as Salt Lake City Police and Utah Highway Patrol have declined to sign 287(g) but continue to cooperate on criminal cases.
- Expanded cooperation can affect how quickly ICE identifies and detains people already in local custody.
Regional operations and leadership changes
A major regional operation in August 2025 resulted in 122 arrests across Utah, Nevada, Idaho, and Montana. Bryan Wilcox, Acting Field Office Director for ERO Salt Lake City, said on Aug. 14, 2025:
“The aliens targeted during this operation preyed on women, children and men in our communities. Behind each one of these arrests is the story of a victim who has suffered abuse, battery upon spouse or sexual assault.”
ICE’s Salt Lake City area has also seen leadership changes. In late 2025, the administration began replacing ICE field office leaders with Border Patrol agents. Acting director Jason Knight in Salt Lake City was removed to make way for a Border Patrol official.
The Salt Lake City field office is listed on ICE’s website: Salt Lake City Field Office Information.
Detention expansion plans
DHS announced in October 2025 a $10 billion project to build a network of “soft-sided” detention centers. Utah was identified as a site for a facility capable of housing up to 10,000 detainees.
- This plan paired enforcement changes with expanded detention capacity.
- The scale of the project indicates long-term detention planning in the region.
Data and public messaging
- ICE’s enforcement data are tracked via the ERO Statistics Dashboard, updated Q4 2025 and available at: ICE ERO Statistics Dashboard (Updated Q4 2025).
- DHS released a Dec. 19, 2025 statement titled “Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, DHS Has Historic Year” on the department website: DHS Newsroom: Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, DHS Has Historic Year (Dec 19, 2025).
Immigration processing changes
On January 2, 2026, USCIS issued a memo pausing the review of applications for visas, green cards, and citizenship for immigrants from 20 additional countries, extending a 2025 policy to conduct national security re-reviews.
- The pause has tightened processing related to national security reviews.
- Attorneys report advising clients to exercise extra caution with travel and everyday interactions that might bring them into contact with federal officers.
Summary: coordinated shift in Utah
Taken together, DHS and ICE actions since January 2025 show a coordinated shift in the federal enforcement footprint in Utah:
- Rising at-large arrests and broader public-space enforcement.
- Significant new hiring and reported manpower increases.
- Expanded local partnerships through 287(g) agreements in multiple counties.
- Detention planning for large-capacity facilities.
- Leadership changes within ICE to emphasize a more aggressive posture.
DHS Secretary Noem reiterated this direction in her Dec. 28, 2025 statement:
“Though 2025 was historic, we won’t rest until the job is done.”
ICE has significantly expanded operations in Utah through massive hiring, leadership changes, and increased local cooperation. Since 2025, at-large arrests have quadrupled nationally, while Utah has seen high-profile airport operations and the removal of protections for sensitive sites. The Department of Homeland Security is also planning a 10,000-person detention center in the state, signaling a long-term commitment to aggressive immigration enforcement under the current administration.
