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... Immigration arrests in the U.S. have soared in recent months, aided by more local law enforcement cooperation with ICE, increased use of technology to track and process people, as well as enhanced data sharing between federal agencies.
But the mass arrest campaign this summer did not lead to a commensurate increase in deportations -- according to preliminary U.S. government data reviewed by Reuters -- a reflection of the legal and logistical limits faced by President Donald Trump as he attempts to hit his mass deportation goals.
Even as arrests jumped to nearly 51,000 in August, setting a record for a third straight month, deportation numbers held mostly steady, averaging around 1,200 per day, the preliminary government data showed.
About the same number of people were deported per day in May, for example, when there were around 19,000 fewer arrests, according to arrests data obtained by the Deportation Data Project through a public records request and analyzed by Reuters.
The disconnect is partly due to who is being targeted, five current and former officials said. The arrests include a growing number of people with no criminal conviction or charge and without deportation orders, according to the Deportation Data Project figures.
Many of those picked up had pending asylum or other legal claims -- meaning they could not be immediately removed from the country unless they agreed to waive their rights and voluntarily depart.
A lack of available flights and limits set by receiving countries have also capped Trump's deportation ambitions, former officials said.
"This is a false narrative," White House spokeswoman Lauren Bis said in response to questions from Reuters. "Thanks to President Trump's strong immigration enforcement policies, three million illegals have left the United States." ...
