U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is planning to establish a new national ICE call center, a move that signifies a significant escalation in the tracking of unaccompanied migrant children and other immigration offenders. This initiative, detailed in a contracting document, is part of a broader strategy by the Trump administration to locate and potentially deport minors who cross the U.S.-Mexico border alone, underscoring the reach of the ICE call center.
Core of the Initiative: The ICE Call Center
The proposed ICE call center, slated to be located in Nashville, would operate 24/7 and is designed to handle an estimated 6,000 to 7,000 calls daily related to immigration enforcement. Its primary function will be to serve as a central hub for information, particularly from state and local law enforcement agencies, feeding details about the whereabouts of unaccompanied children and other immigration violators directly to federal authorities. This ICE call center move aims to bolster the efficiency of immigration enforcement operations across the country, enhancing ICE tracking capabilities.
Background and Broader Enforcement Context
The announcement comes as part of an intensified immigration enforcement push initiated by the Trump administration. In February, a directive was issued to find and deport unaccompanied children, a departure from previous approaches that prioritized their welfare or legal pathways. This broader effort has also seen an expansion of partnerships with state and local law enforcement through the 287(g) program. The number of participating agencies has surged from 135 to over 1,100, significantly increasing the federal government’s reach in immigration enforcement. Critics argue that these partnerships can erode trust within immigrant communities and make individuals less likely to report crimes, affecting migrant child welfare discussions.
Implications for Unaccompanied Minors
The ICE call center initiative has raised significant concerns among immigrant advocates and human rights organizations. The focus on tracking and potentially deporting unaccompanied children is seen by some as a potential threat to child welfare and a departure from the U.S.’s obligations to vulnerable populations. Previous reports have detailed ICE’s efforts to locate and deport these minors, including allegations of seeking criminal cases against them or their sponsors. The administration has also been criticized for attempts to deport children with active immigration cases and for expanding data-sharing agreements with agencies that oversee these minors, impacting migrant child welfare.
Expanded Enforcement and Partnerships with the ICE Call Center
The ICE call center is one facet of a comprehensive strategy to ramp up immigration arrests and immigration deportation. The Trump administration has consistently pursued a “hardline” and “maximalist” deportation policy, aiming for mass deportations. This includes the controversial “287(g)” program, which deputizes state and local law enforcement to act as immigration agents, effectively turning them into an “ICE force multiplier.” These expanded partnerships are designed to identify and arrest individuals who violate immigration laws. The administration has also explored contracting with private entities for locating and verifying the whereabouts of migrants, potentially using “private bounty hunters” to aid in ICE tracking.
Data and Statistics
ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) data indicates a significant number of individuals in detention have no criminal convictions, with approximately 71.5% of current detainees having no criminal record as of September 2025. This contrasts with the administration’s stated goal of targeting “the worst of the worst.” The scale of immigration enforcement under the Trump administration is substantial, with ICE reporting nearly 200,000 deportations in seven months of the second term alone. The number of state and local agencies participating in the 287(g) program has grown dramatically, from 135 to over 1,100, contributing to the broader immigration enforcement efforts facilitated by the ICE call center.
Conclusion
The establishment of this new ICE call center signals a strategic expansion of ICE’s capabilities in tracking and enforcing immigration laws. While the stated goal is to manage immigration cases and locate individuals subject to removal, the ICE call center initiative has ignited debates surrounding the treatment of vulnerable migrant children and the broader implications of increased immigration enforcement. The news highlights the ongoing tension between national security objectives and humanitarian concerns within the U.S. immigration system, affecting unaccompanied migrant children.
