ICE Continues Memorial Day Weekend Enforcement Operations — Detention Population Holds at Record 73,000+ as Senate Remains on Recess and $71.7B Package Awaits Floor Vote

Over the Memorial Day weekend of May 23–26, 2026, ICE continued its enforcement operations nationally, maintaining the record detention population of 73,000+ individuals — up 84% year-over-year — while the Senate remained on recess and the $71.7B ICE/CBP reconciliation package awaited a floor vote expected the week of June 1. ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) arrested Adys Lastres Morera on May 22, a deportable lawful permanent resident whose presence DHS stated was contrary to U.S. foreign policy interests, citing her sister's role as executive president of GAESA (Grupo de Administración Empresarial S.A.), which controls approximately 70% of Cuba's economy. During the preceding week's 'Making America Safe Again' operations, ICE arrested individuals convicted of capital murder, sex crimes against children, armed assault, and kidnapping — part of the Trump administration's weekly enforcement summary released by DHS. The ongoing weekend enforcement reflects ICE's operational posture under Acting Director Todd Lyons, who has announced he will depart on May 31 when he is succeeded by David Venturella — a former GEO Group government affairs executive who will become the first person appointed from the private detention industry to lead ICE. Arrests continue through a combination of ERO field operations, 287(g) partnerships (now at 1,864 agencies), and ICE Air deportation flights that reached 1,794 monthly flights in March 2026. With the Senate on recess and Trump's June 1 deadline already passed, the administration faces a narrow window to enact the $71.7B enforcement package before the end of the summer legislative season.