Where can I find verified datasets or FOIA releases documenting ICE wrongful detentions in 2025
Executive summary
Verified datasets and FOIA productions documenting ICE arrests, detentions and facility records are publicly available from federal sources (ICE’s statistics pages, ICE FOIA library and FOIA logs) and from independent projects that publish cleaned FOIA-obtained ICE files (Vera Institute, Deportation Data Project / Deportation Data Project tools). ICE’s official statistics are updated biweekly and are the primary source; Vera and the Deportation Data Project provide FOIA-derived, researcher-ready histories through mid‑2025 [1] [2] [3].
1. Where to start: ICE’s official statistics and FOIA portal
For an authoritative baseline, use ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations statistics page and the ICE FOIA pages. ICE publishes arrest, detention and removal statistics (updated regularly and “locked” only at fiscal-year close) on its statistics portal and also maintains a FOIA library and FOIA logs where released documents and tracking entries are posted [1] [4] [5]. Those are the first-place official sources for counts, facility lists, inspection reports and any proactively posted records [1] [4].
2. Independent FOIA-derived datasets researchers rely on
Several research groups have obtained ICE records through FOIA litigation or routine requests and republished cleaned datasets and dashboards. The Vera Institute’s ICE Detention Trends tool uses FOIA-obtained data and covers detainee histories from October 1, 2008 through June 10, 2025; Vera explicitly notes the records come from FOIA productions and academic partners and presents day‑by‑day facility-level detention histories [2]. The Deportation Data Project republishes original ICE data and offers processed, cleaned arrest files with code and duplicate‑detection indicators; it also includes historical datasets produced for FOIA requests [3].
3. What you can expect to find in these datasets
FOIA releases and official statistics typically include arrest/book‑in counts by arresting agency and month, currently detained population snapshots by criminality and arresting agency, facility codes, and some book‑outs (release) categories—though ICE cautions data may fluctuate until fiscal‑year locking and has footnotes about coverage [1] [6] [2]. Independent projects add cleaning layers: Vera provides detention histories for each person in custody in the covered timeframe; Deportation Data Project supplies cleaned arrest files and tools to subset by location or time [2] [3].
4. Using FOIA to get case‑level wrongful‑detention evidence
If you need records showing specific alleged wrongful detentions rather than aggregate counts, file FOIA requests targeting particular case files, detention contracts, communications around arrests/raids, or internal guidance. ICE’s FOIA guidance and FOIA office explain how to request records (identifiers, date ranges, case numbers) and warn of high request volumes; ICE also posts a FOIA library of commonly released documents [7] [4] [8]. Advocacy groups (e.g., ACLU, American Immigration Council, Immigrant Defense Project) have used FOIA litigation to force more detailed disclosures; their FOIA productions and litigation filings are useful models and sources [9] [10] [11].
5. Strengths and limits of the public record
Official ICE stats are comprehensive for administrative counts but are subject to revision until fiscal‑year closure and may undercount arrests that do not result in an ICE book‑in (ICE notes this in its arrest reporting) [1] [12]. FOIA‑obtained datasets increase transparency—Vera and Deportation Data Project explicitly rely on FOIA productions—but they reflect what ICE released and sometimes require cleaning to resolve duplicates and coding differences across releases [2] [3]. Litigation and advocacy FOIAs have produced contract and capacity documents (e.g., ACLU releases about private‑prison capacity) but not all requested categories are always produced [9].
6. Practical next steps and tactics
- For national, facility‑ and day‑level detention histories, use Vera’s ICE Detention Trends dashboard and data export [2].
- For cleaned arrest and book‑in datasets plus code and tools, use the Deportation Data Project pages [3].
- For original, agency‑released files, search ICE’s FOIA Library and FOIA logs, and submit tailored FOIA requests to ICE’s FOIA office with specific dates, facility codes or case numbers to speed searches [4] [7] [5].
- Consult precedent FOIA litigation and FOIA releases from advocacy groups (ACLU, American Immigration Council, Immigrant Defense Project) for samples and to identify responsive record types to request [9] [10] [11].
7. Beware of interpretation pitfalls and hidden agendas
Aggregate counts and “no conviction” tallies require careful context: media and policy groups have used FOIA‑derived datasets to show shifts in detention composition (for example, reporting increases in people without convictions), but interpretations depend on definitions (arrest vs. book‑in, criminal charge vs. conviction) and dataset boundaries [12] [13] [3]. Advocacy groups and university projects aim for transparency and reform; ICE’s public statements emphasize operational management and data integrity—read both to understand differing incentives [1] [2] [9].
Limitations: available sources do not mention a single centralized, definitive “wrongful detention” dataset labeled as such; determining “wrongfulness” typically requires case‑level records, legal outcomes, or corroborating court decisions that FOIA requests or litigation may produce (not found in current reporting).