Miami leads the nation in immigration arrests without the high-profile ICE raids, new data shows

New data shows South Florida is leading the nation when it comes to immigration arrests, often without the high-profile raids seen elsewhere.

An analysis by The New York Times found Florida is quietly outpacing the rest of the country, with the Miami-based field office averaging about 120 arrests a day.

Experts say that trend is not entirely new.

A former acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement says South Florida has historically seen higher enforcement numbers because of its large immigrant population, combined with strong cooperation between local law enforcement and federal agencies.

For one South Florida family, those numbers are more than just statistics.

Brandon Garrison's wife, Gabriela Sousa, came to the United States from Venezuela in April 2023 under a humanitarian parole program.

Just two days before that status was set to expire, the couple got married — believing it would allow her to remain in the country legally. It didn't.

"The I-130 is pending. Literally everything I could possibly do to adjust her status and make her legal," Garrison said.

Six months after their wedding, the couple was arrested by Hollywood police following a domestic dispute. That case has since been closed, but Sousa was transferred into ICE custody. That's known as a custodial arrest.

According to the same New York Times analysis, roughly half of ICE arrests in 2025 fell into that category.

Since early 2025, the Miami field office has made more than 41,000 immigration arrests, the highest total in the country. So far this year alone, it has recorded nearly 10,000 arrests.

Former ICE acting director John Sandweg says the numbers reflect both demographics and policy.

"What you're seeing in Miami is a byproduct of a substantial immigrant presence," Sandweg said. "You're also seeing higher levels of cooperation between state and local agencies and ICE".

Now, Garrison says his focus is on keeping his family together.

"She doesn't want to leave, and I don't want to leave," he said.

Sousa's next immigration court hearing is scheduled for Monday.

CBS News Miami has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security about her legal options, but has not yet received a response.