The U.S.-based news agency Associated Press News (AP News) gained access to data provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regarding 5,619,982 immigrants detained by the Border Patrol between October 1, 2018, and July 7, 2025.

This timeframe spans both the first Trump administration and the Joe Biden administration - a scope that invites discussion regarding the number of detentions per year. However, the AP News analysis focuses on a specific question: where did these detained immigrants go after being released?

To investigate this, the agency requested information on the immigrants - including nationality, ZIP code, and other characteristics - while excluding names, specific addresses, or any data that could compromise the anonymity of the individuals. Upon analyzing the data, the journalists discovered that, in thousands of instances, detained immigrants ended up in the same ZIP code area.

In this context, a ZIP code functions similarly to the CEP (postal code) in Brazil - a numerical identifier used for mail and location purposes. While processing the initial batch of information, the CBP provided data on an additional 858,537 immigrants who entered the country officially between 2021 and 2024. By combining these datasets and removing duplicate entries - as well as records lacking a code (which, according to the journalists, suggests the individuals returned to their home countries) - a total of 4,510,850 migrants were analyzed.

In this context, approximately 100,000 migrants were found to be in areas containing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention centers or correctional facilities. Another notable finding is an apparent mass relocation to quieter areas, such as a specific ZIP code in Dallas with an estimated population of 50,000; according to CBP data, more than 19,000 Venezuelans moved to this area following their release.

Both instances point to a reality regarding released immigrants that may not be fully transparent. The processed data also reveal certain gaps - for example, some migrants may have provided addresses where they never actually resided - though these are exceptions that should not significantly skew the overall results.

In short, the analysis conducted by AP News, based on data provided by the CBP, demonstrates that processing and cross-referencing information regarding the destinations of millions of released immigrants reveals complex, and at times surprising, geographical patterns. While there are specific limitations - such as data gaps or the provision of incorrect addresses by a minority - the significant concentration of individuals in certain areas points to migration realities and demographic dynamics that warrant greater transparency and further investigation.