Alabama in Top 20 States for Ice Arrests

The State of Alabama is among the top 20 states for ICE (Immigration & Customs Enforcement) arrests. According to a CBS News analysis of U.S. Government data released by The White House, Alabama is 14th nationally in ICE arrests since the Trump Administration began.

ICE arrests are up 120% nationally under Donald Trump as compared to the Biden Administration. Alabama arrests have risen 1.7% during that time period. Texas leads the list with a 23.2% rise in immigrant arrests.

Alabama is one of seven southern states listed in the top 20 of ICE arrests. Other than the Lonestar State at number one, the other southern states on the list are Florida (2nd, 11.1%), Georgia (4th, 4.1%), Tennessee (9th, 2.7%), Louisiana (12th,1.8%), North Carolina (13th, 1.7%), South Carolina (15th, 1.6%).

The Alabama Legislature passed several anti-illegal immigrant bills this past session which Gov. Ivey signed into law.

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Statistics compiled by the American Immigration Council reveal Alabama has a sizeable immigrant population comprising about 4% of the state's residents. 35% of the Alabama immigrant population are undocumented but that translates to only 1.5% of the total population of the state.

As of today, 26 county sheriff's departments or local police departments in the state have partnered with ICE to assist federal authorities. None are currently listed in West Alabama.

Alireza Doroudi, a doctoral student from Iran studying mechanical engineering, was one of the first highly publicized ICE detainments in Alabama. He was taken from his off-campus residence in Tuscaloosa in April and initially held in the Pickens County Jail before being transferred to an ICE facility in Louisiana. He has since self-deported back to his home in Iran.

Several students at Auburn and Troy Universities were also picked up by ICE agents in May.

There have also been ICE raids at construction sites in the state, including one at Loxley Elementary School in Baldwin County last week. Agents have also reportedly raided several Mexican restaurants in Alabama.

Ice claims arrests and detentions are based on three factors.

• Individuals with criminal convictions.
• Individuals with pending criminal charges.
• Those with no convictions or pending charges but who have broken U.S. immigration laws.

The ICE website boasts of record-breaking "immigration enforcement". The site includes and ICE Tipline and an online detainee locator system. The website also has a "Worst of the Worst" link showing the most recent arrests of illegal immigrants who have criminal records from hit and run to murder.

Critics of the raids like Allison Hamilton, executive director of the Alabama Coalition for Immigrant Justice. claim the raids will drive up the cost at chicken processing plants, farm labor, for domestic help and construction.

In a post reacting to the increase in ICE detainments, The White House, on X (formerly Twitter) wrote, "This is merely a small preview into the work the Trump administration is doing to secure our nation's borders."