Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests have declined nearly 12% following recent changes to immigration enforcement policies, according to federal data. The decrease comes after a period of intensified enforcement that saw thousands of arrests occurring weekly at its peak.

The policy changes have affected enforcement operations across multiple demographics, including cases involving elderly immigrants with long-standing ties to the United States. Among those impacted was Marie-Thérèse Ross-Mahé, an 85-year-old French widow of a former U.S. serviceman who was detained by ICE and subsequently deported.

Ross-Mahé, speaking in her first interview since deportation, described her experience in ICE detention facilities. Her case illustrates the breadth of enforcement actions that occurred during the height of the immigration crackdown, which targeted individuals across various circumstances and backgrounds.

The statistical decline in arrests represents a significant shift from previous enforcement levels, when immigration authorities were conducting operations that resulted in thousands of weekly apprehensions. Federal officials have not yet provided detailed explanations for the decrease in enforcement activities.

The changes in ICE arrest patterns have drawn attention from immigration advocates and policy observers, who are monitoring whether the trend represents a temporary fluctuation or a more sustained shift in enforcement priorities.