In an unexpected turn revealing cracks in Trump’s migration strategy, ICE reduced daily arrests by 11% during February 2026, according to internal government figures reviewed by The New York Times. This decrease coincides with an unprecedented intensification of legal battles over humanitarian parole protecting more than 500,000 migrants, including hundreds of thousands of Cubans.

Pressure Takes Effect: ICE Changes Tactics

The revealed data shows that ICE arrested approximately 11% fewer people per day in February compared to January, after militarized operations in Minneapolis generated massive political and legal resistance. This reduction contrasts dramatically with Vice President JD Vance’s announcements to deploy “10,000 additional agents for door-to-door operations.”

María González, a Miami activist whose husband was deported in February, observes this change with caution: “The numbers may be going down, but the terror continues. Every day we expect ICE to knock on the door.”

Attorney Lindsay Toczylowski from Immigrant Defenders Law Center explains: “This reduction is no coincidence. Judicial, political, and social pressure is forcing a tactical recalibration. But make no mistake: the maximum pressure strategy continues through other means.”

Judicial Battle for 500,000 Migrants Reaches Critical Point

While ICE reduces arrest volume, the Trump administration intensifies the dismantling of humanitarian parole through the courts. The Supreme Court recently lifted Judge Indira Talwani’s restraining order, which temporarily protected 532,000 migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Venezuela, and Nicaragua.

Bartlomiej Skorupa from Mobile Pathways warns: “This is not a retreat, it’s a strategic reorganization. Trump is shifting from spectacular operations to administrative measures that can deport more people with less resistance.”

The figures are devastating: only 3% of Cuban asylum seekers won their cases in January 2026, while 56% of migrants didn’t even show up to their hearings for fear of being arrested at courthouses.

The Numbers Behind the Retreat

ICE internal data reveals a complex picture:

11% reduction in daily arrests February vs January
300,000 Cubans remain in legal limbo with I-220A status
5,169 Cubans deported so far this year - a record figure
24,000 habeas corpus petitions filed by separated families

Karen Musalo, immigration law expert, analyzes: “This temporary reduction in arrests doesn’t mean a change of heart. It’s a tactical response to legal and political resistance that’s complicating their operations.”

Recalibration or Strategic Pause?

The contrast is notable: while ICE reduces visible operations, the Trump administration accelerates other fronts:

Massive revocation of humanitarian parole through DHS
Suspension of immigrant visas for 75 countries
Closure of CBP One program and CHNV
Pressure on third countries like Ecuador to accept Cuban deportees

Julia Benítez Pérez, 79, grandmother of a Cuban migrant with revoked parole, shares her anguish: “We thought he was safe. Now we live in constant fear. This reduction in arrests doesn’t comfort us when we know they can arrive at any moment.”

The Political Factor Behind the Numbers

The reduction in ICE arrests is not accidental. Internal sources point to several factors:

Internal DHS resistance: Career officials express concerns about the legality and effectiveness of militarized operations.

Federal judicial pressure: Multiple courts have issued temporary restraining orders complicating mass operations.

Political cost: Images of family separations and operations in schools and hospitals generated bipartisan resistance.

The Legal Limbo Trap

While ICE reduces arrests, hundreds of thousands of Cubans remain trapped in a legal limbo that has become more dangerous:

Work permits threatened by new DHS regulations
Parole renewals suspended indefinitely
Asylum hearings scheduled with years of delay
Family reunification paralyzed by visa suspensions

Daniel Alejandro Escobar, recently released from ICE detention after a successful habeas corpus, describes the reality: “Arrests may be going down, but fear isn’t. We know this could be temporary. The psychological pressure is constant.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did ICE reduce arrests in February?

The 11% reduction responds to multiple factors: legal resistance, political pressure after controversial Minneapolis operations, and operational difficulties from multiple federal lawsuits.

Does this mean deportations will stop?

No. The Trump administration is changing tactics, prioritizing administrative measures like parole revocation and visa suspension over visible mass operations.

What happens to the 300,000 Cubans with I-220A?

They remain in extreme legal limbo. While ICE temporarily reduces arrests, their cases remain priority for deportation under the new administrative strategy.

Is this a victory for migrants?

Experts warn it’s not. It’s a tactical recalibration that may be more effective long-term, combining less spectacle with greater administrative efficiency in deportations.

The battle for the fate of hundreds of thousands of Cuban migrants continues unfolding in federal courts as ICE adapts its tactics. The temporary reduction in arrests doesn’t change the Trump administration’s fundamental “maximum pressure” strategy.