Montgomery, Ala. (WDNews) — Alabama has continued a rise in immigration-related arrests in the early months of 2026, following a sharp increase reported last year.
According to data from the Deportation Data Project, federal agents arrested 1,795 immigrants in Alabama through March 10. That follows 5,746 arrests reported in 2025 as of mid-October.
The project compiles information from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement through records requests and legal filings. The agency did not respond to a request for comment.
Of the arrests so far this year, 903 were described by ICE as collateral arrests, while 891 were targeted. Males accounted for 87% of those taken into custody.
Most individuals arrested were younger adults. Data shows 635 were born in the 1990s, 483 in the 2000s, and 447 in the 1980s.
The report also notes that arrests involving minors continue, averaging about four per month. So far this year, nine children have been arrested, ranging in age from 8 to 16, with most coming from Latin American countries.
According to the data, 281 of those arrested in 2026 had prior criminal convictions, while another 657 had pending charges. Traffic-related offenses made up the largest share of violations at 26%.
Violent offenses accounted for a smaller portion. About 1.9% involved homicide charges or convictions, 2.2% involved sexual assault, and 3.7% were related to weapons offenses.
Nearly half of those arrested in Alabama this year have already been removed from the country. The data shows 520 left voluntarily, 367 were formally removed, and 870 cases remain active.
In February, Alabama ranked first in the nation for the percentage of detained immigrants who were removed from the country, according to the report.
