ICE Detentions in Ohio Surge Nearly Sixfold During Trump’s Second Term
Ohio sees 656 daily ICE detentions in 2025 compared to 117 in 2024, with frequent transfers disrupting detainee connections to families and lawyers.
COLUMBUS, OHIO — The number of people detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Ohio increased nearly sixfold during 2025, the first year of President Donald Trump’s second administration, according to a new analysis released by the Ohio Immigrant Alliance.
While an average of 117 people were detained daily in Ohio during 2024, that number soared to 656 in 2025, representing a dramatic escalation in federal immigration enforcement across the state. The number of local jails under contract with the federal government to hold ICE detainees also tripled from two to six facilities during the same period.
Analysis Reveals Frequent Transfers
The Ohio Immigrant Alliance analyzed ICE data obtained through Freedom of Information Act requests and processed by the Deportation Data Project. The analysis found that detainees are moved around frequently and often to distant locations, making it difficult for them to maintain contact with legal counsel and families.
In one example cited in the report, 535 detainees were transferred from the Butler County Jail in Hamilton to a detention facility in Alexandria, Louisiana. Such transfers can cause detainees to lose jobs in addition to severing connections with their support networks.
Criminal Background Data Challenges Claims
Despite Trump’s assertion that his immigration crackdown targeted “the worst of the worst,” less than 5% of those detained had been convicted of violent offenses, according to the analysis. The findings reveal what researchers described as “a detention system defined by frequent transfers, relatively short detention periods for many individuals, and a detained population overwhelmingly composed of” people without violent criminal histories.
The analysis found that people were detained for weeks at a time, with the frequent movement between facilities creating additional challenges for maintaining employment and family connections. The research indicates that Ohio has become a significant hub in the expanded federal immigration detention network during Trump’s second term.
The data comes from official ICE records obtained through public information requests, providing a detailed look at how immigration enforcement has intensified across Ohio since Trump returned to office in January 2025.
