ICE arrest and detention data provided to the Deportation Data Project show a 308% increase in Austin-area arrests with detention from January 2025 to July 2026, with 2,844 arrests in the first half of 2025 rising to 4,817 over the same period in 2026. The share of people arrested with no criminal history rose from about 5% in January 2025 to roughly 60% by July 2026, while 'at-large' arrests in public places climbed from 8% to 37% of arrests over the same comparison period. Local police cooperation through 287(g) agreements accounted for 24% of Austin-area arrests from January to July 2026, and officials and advocates, including an Austin City Council member and the Mexican consulate, reported an increased ICE presence patrolling streets in Austin, Hays and Williamson counties. The article notes renewed scrutiny of ICE after the Sept. 20 shooting of Wilber Garces Perez in North Austin, whose license plate was read in a shopping center parking lot before his arrest while he was reportedly picking up a DoorDash order.