Immigration arrests surged last month in Washington

Federal immigration arrests in Washington rose sharply in June, surpassing 275, as the Trump administration escalates its deportation initiatives. The Deportation Data Project at UC Berkeley shows that this increase reflects the administration's heightened arrest quotas and a significant $170 billion funding boost for immigration enforcement. The data indicates a troubling trend: the share of arrestees with criminal records has dropped to less than one-third, raising alarms about the safety of immigrant communities. ACLU's Washington director, Caedmon Magboo Cahill, expressed concern over the increasing anxiety among families from immigrant backgrounds. While Washington's arrest figures are rising, they remain significantly lower compared to states like Idaho, where arrests have surged tenfold.

Local advocates emphasize the urgent need for community-centered deportation defense strategies in response to the crackdown. The increase in arrests has also strained capacity at the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma. This data likely undercounts the true number of arrests, as it excludes certain arrests and lacks comprehensive state listings.