Watch now | Sunday's Substack Live covered record immigration detention numbers—over 61,000 people, the highest in U.S. history—plus a community exercise for exploring local data.| Austin Kocher
Help build a learning community around detention data. Get hands-on with the newly updated facility numbers at DetentionReports.com and add your own findings and perspectives.| Austin Kocher
ICE's latest data show record detention numbers, growing GPS ankle monitor usage, and dip in arrests since June. PLUS: This newsletter just crossed 10,000 subscribers—thank you! 🎉| Austin Kocher
As government human rights reporting becomes less comprehensive, historian Elliott Young's applied scholarship fills critical information gaps with rigorously documented country conditions research.| Austin Kocher
Local law enforcement agencies across the country are signing up to participate in ICE's "mass deportation" efforts. Florida and Texas lead the way. Most aggressive "task force model" now dominates.| Austin Kocher
Join me for a conversation with Elliott Young and Seraya Talbott-Carey from Lewis & Clark's Migration & Asylum Lab about documenting country conditions while the Trump admin strips key information.| austinkocher.substack.com
ICE represents its enforcement surge as targeting dangerous criminals, but data tells a different story. Why non-criminals will make up the bulk of ICE arrests, detentions, and deportations.| austinkocher.substack.com
In this issue: ICE's latest detention data contains errors, growth of non-criminal detainees continues, and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem's inadequate claims about ICE arrests.| austinkocher.substack.com
Greg Constantine's "Seven Doors" project captures the lives and stories behind immigrant detention in the United States and around the world through patiently composed photographic essays.| austinkocher.substack.com
Better late than never, ICE released its latest detention data late yesterday updated through April 20. Growth slows as numbers approach 50,000, suggesting that system is at capacity for now.| austinkocher.substack.com
Family detention ended after years of lawsuits, medical warnings, and public outrage. Now, it’s back—despite clear evidence that it’s harmful, costly, and ineffective. Get the full story below.| austinkocher.substack.com
Decode the U.S. immigration system with clear analysis backed by data and designed for curious readers. Click to read Austin Kocher, a Substack publication with tens of thousands of subscribers.| austinkocher.substack.com
ICE's detained population is at the highest verifiable count in years. But with billions in new funding, this may be just the beginning of the Trump administration's expansion plans.| Austin Kocher
The Deportation Data Project released new ICE data. In Part 5, I update previous graphs and analysis with the latest ICE arrest data, plus huge thanks to John Oliver's HBO show for using this data.| Austin Kocher
EOIR Acting Director Sirce Owen says AI is "not prohibited" in immigration court, but the memo signals bigger changes ahead with Trump admin encouraging AI use to accelerate government processes.| Austin Kocher
Help shape our next live conversation series! Who would you love to hear from? Recommend authors, speakers, and thought leaders for community-curated discussions.| Austin Kocher
A personal letter marking 300 posts: why longevity and consistency matter in today's crowded newsletter landscape, and gratitude for readers who value public scholarship.| Austin Kocher
End-of-week recap: reflections on immigrant hospitality, new DetentionReports.com updates, and data insights on recent ICE enforcement and detention trends in Southern California.| Austin Kocher
In Part 4 of my series on ICE data from the Deportation Data Project, I find that ICE book-ins correspond closely to ICE administrative arrests—a simple but hopefully useful observation.| Austin Kocher
New data reveals how Trump's LA immigration raids correlate with detention facility population spikes across Southern California, using real-time tracking tools to document enforcement impact.| Austin Kocher
Casa Alterna founder Anton Flores sat down with me and an audience for a live discussion of his new book, "Welcome, Friends." Listen to our discussion of radical hospitality in dark times.| Austin Kocher
Recent reporting by USA Today’s Lauren Villagran highlights Louisiana’s growing ICE detention network. See data on these facilities at DetentionReports.com.| Austin Kocher
A personal message to my paid subscribers: Your support has helped build a trusted immigration data resource. Now I want to hear from you! Please provide feedback on the future of this newsletter.| Austin Kocher
Detention Reports now updated with latest ICE data covering 184 facilities. New features include state filtering and data quality notes based on user feedback.| Austin Kocher
At least 56,945 immigrants are held in ICE detention this week, with untold numbers hidden from public view in off-the-books sites in Florida and in field offices across the country.| Austin Kocher
AI can generate content, but human expertise offers something irreplaceable: authentic insight rooted in experience, judgment, and accountability. Here's what that means for academics.| austinkocher.substack.com
Join me in creating a more informed, compassionate, and impactful conversation on immigration at this crucial time in our history.| austinkocher.substack.com
ICE's detention facility data show weird math that erases previous detention stays and raises questions about the data's reliability.| austinkocher.substack.com
Join Syracuse University in Washington, D.C. on July 24, 2025, for a free, in-person event exploring the future of communication in an AI-powered world. Registration is required to attend.| austinkocher.substack.com
Get the data and 164 graphs to see the recent detained population at every ICE detention facility in the country.| austinkocher.substack.com
In Part 2 of my series on ICE arrest data made public by the Deportation Data Project, we examine daily and monthly arrest totals and project record arrests by the end of this month.| austinkocher.substack.com
Immigrant detention is at record highs and the Trump admin wants nearly $50 billion to expand detention capacity. A new book provides critical information about who profits from detention.| austinkocher.substack.com
Largest growth in detention numbers comes from people with no criminal histories, who now make up a third of ICE detention amid dangerous overcrowding and lucrative contracts for private contractors.| austinkocher.substack.com
As Congress considers expanding immigrant detention from 41,000 to 100,000 beds, this timely discussion will unpack the political and economic forces fueling the detention system.| austinkocher.substack.com
ICE detention numbers are up alongside spike in new detention facilities and new 287(g) agreements. Nearly 25% of detainees now have no criminal histories.| austinkocher.substack.com
Despite total decline, the number of people arrested and detained by ICE rather than CBP continued to grow modestly.| austinkocher.substack.com
Border Patrol is one of the most controversial yet misunderstood law enforcement agencies in the country. Fellow geographer Reece Jones unpacks this agency in his latest book.| austinkocher.substack.com
Do you live in Atlanta? Are you interested in learning more about current immigration policies and data? If so, join me at 7pm on June 5 for the latest policy, research, and data.| austinkocher.substack.com
A report on the growth and impact of this newsletter since the start of the Trump administration, a special thanks to my generous supporters, and a call to help reach 10,000 readers.| austinkocher.substack.com
Decode the U.S. immigration system with clear analysis backed by data and designed for curious readers. Click to read Austin Kocher, a Substack publication with tens of thousands of subscribers.| austinkocher.substack.com
A new method for analyzing ICE data reveals recent spikes in the number of people held in ICE facilities like Stewart and Moshannon, trends normally obscured by ICE’s year-to-date reporting averages.| austinkocher.substack.com
