US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has shifted from loud, high-profile raids to quiet, rapid tactics — and the change has produced record arrest numbers, according to a report by The Indian Express.

The report, titled "Taken in 90 Seconds: How ICE switched from loud raids to quiet tactics to hit record US arrests," describes how some enforcement operations now last roughly 90 seconds from start to finish. Agents arrive, make the arrest, and leave before attention gathers.

This marks a departure from earlier enforcement styles. Large-scale workplace raids and visible street operations drew media coverage, community resistance, and legal challenges. The new approach relies instead on speed, discretion, and surprise.

The result, according to the report, is a record level of arrests in the United States. ICE has driven up its numbers not by expanding dramatic operations but by making each one quieter and faster.

Who is affected

The shift affects immigrants living in the United States without legal status, as well as communities where enforcement activity has historically concentrated. Because the new tactics are deliberately low-visibility, advocates quoted in broader coverage of the trend warn that individuals may have less warning and less opportunity to contact lawyers or family members before an arrest takes place.

What changed tactically

Instead of mass raids at workplaces or neighborhoods, the report describes short, targeted operations. An encounter can unfold and conclude in about a minute and a half — hence the "90 seconds" framing — leaving little time for bystanders to document events or for those targeted to respond.

The approach reduces confrontation. It also reduces the public spectacle that earlier raids generated, which ICE critics had used to rally opposition and which courts had occasionally scrutinized.

The numbers

The Indian Express reports that ICE has reached record arrest figures under this changed method. The exact totals cited in the article reflect the agency's enforcement data since the shift in tactics took hold.

Where to follow the change

ICE publishes its own enforcement statistics and operational updates through official US government channels. Readers seeking current figures on arrests, enforcement priorities, and operations should consult ICE's official releases and the US Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the agency.

Immigration attorneys and accredited representatives remain the appropriate contacts for individuals with questions about their own situations. This summary reports on the enforcement trend described by The Indian Express; it does not provide legal advice.

Why the tactic shift matters

For immigrants and their families, the practical effect is that enforcement has become less predictable in its timing and less visible in its execution. Community organizations have responded by spreading know-your-rights information, encouraging people to understand what agents can and cannot do during an encounter, and advising people not to open doors without a warrant signed by a judge.

For policymakers and researchers, the shift illustrates how enforcement agencies can raise output — in this case, arrests — without expanding the footprint of their operations. The record numbers cited in the report suggest the quiet model has, by the agency's own metrics, outperformed the raid-based model it replaced.

The trend also raises oversight questions. Fast, low-visibility operations are harder to monitor, and rights groups have argued that speed can come at the cost of due process safeguards, such as access to counsel and proper identification of the persons being detained. ICE maintains that its operations comply with federal law and agency policy.

The bottom line

ICE has changed how it enforces immigration law in the United States. Loud raids have given way to operations that can be over in about 90 seconds. Arrest numbers have hit record levels as a result. Anyone in the United States concerned about immigration enforcement should rely on official ICE and Department of Homeland Security information, qualified immigration attorneys, and accredited legal aid organizations for guidance on their specific circumstances.