Immigration arrests in southwest Utah have multiplied sixfold under the Trump administration, according to a report published August 29 by The Salt Lake Tribune. Recent data from the Deportation Data Project indicates that ICE conducted more than one hundred arrests in St. George during the month of May, which is more than double the average recorded during the first 15 months of the second Trump term.
The report notes that monthly arrest figures varied, with 72 arrests recorded in March, 94 in April, 107 in May, 97 in June, and 73 in July. When compared to the Biden administration, migration arrests in the southwest portion of the state quadrupled between January 2025 and March 2026.
An increase in detentions has been observed following the signing of two 287(g) agreements with ICE by Washington County, which allow the county sheriff's office to perform immigration arrests. The rise in detentions became significantly more pronounced after January 29, following an announcement by Tom Homan, the border czar, regarding the prioritization of operations to address national security threats.
Data from the Deportation Data Project shows that 54.8% of those detained did not have criminal charges or convictions and held only civil immigration violations. Additionally, while 83% of immigrants arrested during the Biden administration were convicted criminals, that figure dropped to 38.9% during the second Trump administration.
In Ogden, controversy has arisen following a video of an arrest involving ICE agents on Tuesday, August 25. Ogden City Council member Kevin Lundell stated that the local officer lacked clear guidelines on how to act when interacting with ICE officials. Lundell noted that a local official had previously warned that the individual being detained had approached the officer for help because he felt he was being followed.
The Department of Homeland Security stated that the individual involved was a Venezuelan immigrant who entered the country irregularly near Eagle Pass, Texas, in July 2022. The agency noted the individual would remain in ICE custody pending deportation proceedings.
