Korean Nationals Deported by ICE Reach 429
Korean nationals deported by ICE totaled 429 during the second Trump administration, accounting for more than 80% of the 528 South Korean nationals arrested nationwide since January 2025.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested 528 South Korean nationals between Jan. 20, 2025, and Aug. 6, 2026, according to an analysis released Sept. 15 by Stop AAPI Hate.
The organization analyzed data from the Deportation Data Project, jointly operated by UCLA and UC Berkeley. Of those arrested, 488 were detained and 429 were deported. That means approximately 81%, about 8 in 10, of the South Korean nationals arrested were ultimately removed from the country.
Korean Nationals Deported by ICE Amid Nationwide Surge
California recorded the largest number of arrests involving Asian nationals, accounting for approximately 25% of the nationwide total. Texas followed with 13%, while New York accounted for 9%. Together, the three states represented nearly half of all arrests involving Asian nationals.
In California alone, ICE arrested 63 South Korean nationals during the period analyzed.
South Korean nationals accounted for 2.5% of all Asian nationals arrested. Among people from East Asian countries, including South Korea, China and Japan, South Koreans represented 8.8% of arrests.
Their share was higher among deportations. South Korean nationals accounted for 4.5% of all deported Asian nationals and 14.8% of deportees from East Asian countries.
Among Asian countries, South Korea ranked seventh in arrests and detentions and sixth in deportations.
India and China Account for More Than Half of Arrests
More than half of the Asian nationals arrested and detained were from India and China. Nationals of the two countries accounted for approximately 54% of arrests and 53% of detentions involving people from Asian countries.
Overall, ICE arrested 21,078 Asian nationals during the period covered by the data. Of those, 18,769 were detained and 9,590 were deported. Eleven people from Asian countries also died in ICE detention facilities.
Immigration enforcement against Asian nationals increased far more sharply than under the previous administration. Arrests rose more than fivefold compared with the same period under the Biden administration. Detentions increased more than sixfold, while deportations surged more than tenfold, the largest increase among the three categories.
Immigration enforcement increased across all groups, but the rate of growth was steeper among Asian nationals.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal, a Washington Democrat, described the enforcement practices as a โpattern of violence and cruelty.โ She said that behind every statistic is a real person whose fundamental rights and dignity were violated.
Federal Court Restricts Warrantless Immigration Arrests
Meanwhile, a federal court has restricted warrantless immigration arrests in Southern California.
U.S. District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong issued a preliminary injunction on Sept. 2 limiting when immigration officers may arrest people without a warrant.
Under the order, officers must determine whether a person is likely to flee before a warrant can be obtained. A personโs undocumented immigration status alone is not sufficient grounds for a warrantless arrest.
Officers must also document the specific facts supporting any conclusion that the person poses a flight risk.
The court imposed the requirements after finding cases in which immigration authorities either failed to properly assess flight risk or conducted warrantless arrests based solely on a personโs undocumented status.
The injunction applies throughout the jurisdiction of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. The covered area includes Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties.
The ruling places new limits on warrantless enforcement as the number of Korean nationals deported by ICE and overall immigration arrests continue to rise.
