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More than 650 children detained in California under Trump enforcement crackdown

Jul 21, 2026·Location: California, CA

More than 650 children detained in California under Trump enforcement crackdown
Photo via the74million.org

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained more than 650 children in California during Trump's second term, with 61% ultimately deported, according to an EdSource analysis of federal data. The detentions increased 90% compared to the prior year under the Biden administration, marking a shift in enforcement from the border to the interior, where most arrests occurred in communities where children attended school; more than 100 of the children detained were age 5 or under. Some children were detained while accompanying parents to routine ICE check-ins, and state education officials say the enforcement activity has kept some students from attending school. Documented cases include a 17-year-old honors student from Los Angeles County deported to Guatemala, a 9-year-old boy from Torrance deported to Honduras, and a 6-year-old deaf student deported to Colombia without his hearing aids. The median length of detention jumped from one day under Biden to eight days under Trump, and medical professionals have warned that detention poses a threat to child health and well-being.

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