Trump’s Mass Deportation Promise Hits Snag as ICE Releases Some Arrested Immigrants
Space constraints and legal limits are forcing the freeing of detainees despite administration’s tough stance.

With more than 8,000 immigrants arrested by federal agents since President Trump arrived back at the White House, some have already been released back into America despite the promise of mass deportation.
With the number of arrests increasing, space constraints at Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facilities, and federal court orders that forbid indefinite detention, ICE officials have been forced to release some of those arrested as an alternative to holding them until deportation can be completed, according to a report from NBC News.
An ICE spokesman confirmed to the news outlet that current cases in the federal courts limit how long they can hold someone, especially if their home countries refuse to take them back.
“The agency’s federal law enforcement officers do everything they can to keep our communities safe,” the spokesman said. “In some cases, ICE is required to release certain arrested aliens from custody.”
The releases come despite a ban from President Trump on “catch and release” policies where immigrants nabbed along the southern border with Mexico have been released into America. With funding for approximately 42,000 beds across the country, ICE officials have no choice but to release some of those apprehended, according to NBC News.
They are being monitored through a program called “Alternatives to Detention,” a decade-old initiative in which migrants are tracked as they go through the immigration system with ankle monitors, wrist bands, or telephone check-ins.
The Trump Administration was aware of capacity issues before the President took office and has considered expanding an ankle monitoring program, according to a December report from Fox News.
It is believed that none of the people who were released have been convicted of serious crimes. ICE policy mandates that immigrants deemed to be a threat to public safety are the priority, and agents can use their discretion when releasing migrants who do not have any criminal convictions.
Sources told NBC News that others can be released for medical reasons or if they are the primary caretaker for children.