The latest report from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the greater Los Angeles area shows that from early last year to August this year, a total of 15,000 individuals have been “arrested and deported,” with the majority being swiftly deported. Among them, although China ranks fifth among the countries of origin with only 719 individuals, it is significantly lower compared to the 10,718 individuals from Mexico.
According to the report from the “Deportation Data Project” at the University of California, Los Angeles and Berkeley Schools of Law, these 15,000 individuals include those with final deportation orders, voluntary departures, and others deported through various means. From January to May last year, 62% of those arrested were swiftly deported; June and July saw a peak period with as high as 75% of the arrested individuals being deported.
The report indicates an increase in the number of individuals transferred from criminal detention facilities – primarily from federal prisons and a few counties without local sanctuary policies. Due to sanctuary policies in California and various cities, including Los Angeles, fewer individuals are transferred from local detention facilities to ICE.
This study focuses on the arrest, detention, and deportation of non-citizens within the jurisdiction of the ICE Los Angeles office, covering the greater Los Angeles area, including Los Angeles County, Orange County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, Ventura County, Santa Barbara County, and San Luis Obispo County. Nearly every city in these seven counties has had arrest operations.
Los Angeles City arrested 4,828 individuals, accounting for approximately 33% of the total 15,000 individuals; followed by Santa Ana City (1,599 individuals) and San Bernardino City (1,360 individuals). In Los Angeles City, Asians account for only 12.1%, while Hispanics make up 47.2%. In San Bernardino City, Hispanics make up 70.1%, while Asians make up only 3.8%.
The number of arrests in Chinese-majority cities is significantly lower: Montebello City arrested 30 individuals, Alhambra 58, Rowland Heights 28, Temple City 41. Taking Temple City as an example, according to U.S. Census Bureau data, Asians account for 63.7%, while Hispanics account for 20.9%.
The above numbers indicate that very few Chinese individuals have been arrested.
According to the report, in 2024, the top 10 countries of origin for the most non-citizen arrests and deportations were Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Vietnam, Colombia, Nicaragua, Peru, Romania, and Russia. As of 2025, although China has risen to the fifth position in terms of arrests and deportations, with 719 individuals, it is still significantly lower compared to Mexico, with 10,718 individuals.
It is noteworthy that in large-scale arrests in Los Angeles City, the proportion of “fugitives” is as high as 33%. Additionally, some individuals who were not the target of the enforcement actions, did not receive deportation orders from immigration courts, but had issues such as expired visas or illegal entry, were still arrested even if they may have been awaiting court hearings.
Since early 2025, 62% of those arrested were deported within 60 days. However, the number of individuals detained for an extended period has also increased.
During the summer of 2025, there were riots against immigration enforcement officers in Los Angeles City, which coincided with a peak in arrests. Approximately 4,000 individuals were arrested in June and July, with 3,066 being deported, accounting for 76%; 645 were released, accounting for 16%; and 226 were transferred to other agencies.
In the months of May and June this year, individuals who were deported within 60 days of being arrested accounted for 60.8% and 59% of the arrested individuals, respectively.
The report highlights that at the end of 2025 and the beginning of 2026, the percentage of individuals released within 60 days of being detained started to rise, reaching nearly 15% in March this year. This increase is likely due to the rise in cases where individuals detained challenged the legality of ICE detention in court. However, this percentage decreased in April, May, and June this year, at 11.8%, 8.8%, and 8.4% respectively.
The vast majority of individuals deported were sent to Mexico, with fewer than three hundred individuals being deported to third countries.