U.S. Arrests Over 17,500 Migrants Under New Deportation Law

U.S. authorities arrested more than 17,500 people in 2025 under a strict new immigration law. The arrests targeted non-citizens with criminal records. The law is named for Laken Riley, a university student whose death in 2024 was linked to an undocumented migrant. It requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to detain and begin deporting non-citizens charged with or convicted of certain crimes. Officials stated the operation focused on individuals already in the country illegally. Those arrested now face mandatory detention and deportation proceedings. The law represents a major shift in U.S. immigration enforcement. It mandates arrest for a broad range of criminal offenses, from theft to more serious charges.