- ICE apprehended more than 5,000 people in North Carolina in 2026, including at least 441 in Raleigh.
- National ICE detentions topped 253,000 this year, with August setting a third straight monthly arrest record.
- DHS called the Deportation Data Project unverified and said families lost online tracking access on September 15.
ICE has apprehended more than 5,000 people in North Carolina this year, according to records from the Deportation Data Project. The tally covers 2026 and includes at least 441 arrests in the Raleigh area.
The same records put ICE detentions nationwide above 253,000 this year. A data team analyzed the records.
The national figures include people with different criminal-justice histories. About 28% were convicted criminals, while 30% had pending criminal charges.
More than 40% had no criminal history. The figures have drawn attention as enforcement expands across the country.
The North Carolina count has also prompted concern among immigrant advocates. They describe fear and anxiety in immigrant communities.
A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson rejected the dataset and its conclusions, saying the figures had been selectively presented.
“This data is being cherry picked by the Deportation Data Project to peddle a false narrative.”
The spokesperson added that neither DHS nor ICE had confirmed the project’s methods or results.
“DHS nor ICE have verified the accuracy, methodology or the analysis of the project and its results. The bottom line is that the Deportation Data Project is not accurate.”
National enforcement reached a third monthly arrest record in August
Preliminary government data shows nearly 51,000 arrests in August 2026. That set a monthly record for the third consecutive month.
Deportations remained roughly flat at about 1,200 per day. A separate July snapshot counted more than 65,000 people in detention, with 70% having no criminal conviction.
The figures present different measures. The North Carolina number counts apprehensions, while the national comparison includes detentions and the monthly figure records arrests.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| North Carolina apprehensions in 2026 | More than 5,000 |
| Raleigh-area arrests | At least 441 |
| Nationwide detentions in 2026 | More than 253,000 |
| Nationwide detainees with convictions | About 28% |
| Nationwide detainees with pending charges | 30% |
| Nationwide detainees with no criminal history | More than 40% |
ICE also removed thousands of detainees from its online locator on September 15, 2026, including people with final removal orders, according to current and former ICE officials.
The change made it harder for families and advocates to track detainees. It also intensified criticism of the agency’s data practices.
The North Carolina count therefore sits within a wider dispute over enforcement totals and the records used to calculate them. DHS says the project’s accuracy and methodology remain unverified by the department and ICE.
The state tally has already passed 5,000 in 2026. Advocates say the arrests are reverberating through immigrant communities as national enforcement continues.
