U.S. Border Patrol agents in the Detroit Sector recorded a large number of arrests to begin 2026, with agents in Michigan and Ohio apprehending 32 illegal aliens in the first week of January through a mix of targeted enforcement operations and joint actions with local law enforcement. The arrests involved immigration charges ranging from misdemeanors to felonies, underscoring an aggressive enforcement posture at the start of the year.
Several of those taken into custody had prior criminal charges or convictions. Most of the arrested individuals were from Mexico, Nicaragua, and Guatemala, while multiple Special Interest Aliens (SIAs) from Venezuela were also apprehended. SIA is a designation used for nationals from countries considered to pose elevated security concerns to the United States. Authorities confirmed all 32 are being processed for deportation.