Federal immigration authorities arrested more than 10,000 people over a five-day period this week as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement launched one of its most aggressive enforcement drives yet. Internal records reviewed by The New York Times indicate that the agency nearly doubled its daily arrest goals to about 2,000, with arrests topping 2,400 on Saturday alone.

The intensified campaign has driven the number of migrants being held in ICE custody to more than 63,000. At the same time, field offices have reportedly been directed to dedicate roughly 80% of their officers to arrest operations every day of the week.

According to a source familiar with the agency’s operations, ICE is broadening its enforcement efforts with financial support provided through the One Big Beautiful Bill as that legislation nears its one-year anniversary.

Rather than relying on the high-profile workplace raids that drew widespread attention earlier in President Donald Trump’s administration, officials have increasingly carried out arrests away from the spotlight. Immigration lawyers say many detentions are now taking place during routine check-ins, traffic stops, and other everyday encounters.

Immigration advocacy organizations contend that the expanded enforcement is capturing growing numbers of migrants who have no criminal records, despite repeated statements from the administration that deportation efforts are aimed primarily at dangerous offenders.

The American Immigration Council and other organizations monitoring ICE activity say a significant number of those recently detained have no criminal history.

In South Florida, immigration attorney Cindy Blandon said ICE agents arrested one of her clients—a Nicaraguan father of two who is not scheduled to appear in immigration court until 2027—during a routine check-in on Monday.

The lower-profile enforcement campaign comes after Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin vowed to shift away from the large-scale raids that generated intense criticism last year following an operation in Minnesota during which two U.S. citizens were killed.

The Department of Homeland Security defended the expanded enforcement effort, with a spokeswoman declaring: “If you come to our country illegally, we will find you, we will arrest you and we will deport you.”

The surge in arrests has also drawn criticism from both sides of the political aisle in certain cases.

Protesters have held demonstrations across the country over detention conditions and ICE enforcement tactics, while some Republican lawmakers have voiced concern over arrests involving people with humanitarian protections.

“Our immigration enforcement should target violent criminals,” Rep. Monica De La Cruz, R-Texas, wrote on Facebook following the detention of a Catholic nun in Texas.

“A Catholic nun on her way to church is not a threat to our community.”

De La Cruz later said Sister Letty “will be coming home” and that officials were working to resolve the matter.

The enforcement push comes only days after the Supreme Court rejected President Trump’s attempt to end birthright citizenship, reaffirming that “children born in the United States to parents unlawfully or temporarily present are ‘subject to the jurisdiction’ of the United States and are citizens at birth under the Fourteenth Amendment’s Citizenship Clause.”