Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in Hawaii

[Punatang]

Really interesting Data Dive from Civil Beat:

"Data Dive: Hawaiʻi Deportation Cases Hit Quarter-Century High
The backlog of cases in U.S. immigration courts has tripled since 2017 and is at record levels in Hawaiʻi. Most involve immigrants from China.

The number of undocumented people in Hawaiʻi is estimated to range between 41,000 and 50,500 according to different estimates by the Hawaiʻi Department of Labor and Industrial Relations and the Migration Policy Institute.
Hawaiʻi Immigration Courts issued 181 removal orders in the 2024 fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, the most recent release by the TRAC shows."

http://civilbeat.org/2024/12/data-dive-h...ntury-high

Special shout out kudos to the author Matthew Leonard for fielding questions in the comments section.  Comments include concerns about the housing crisis.

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

Really interesting Data Dive from Civil Beat:

Are the numbers in the article higher than average over time?  Lower?  That is, how have they affected any change to our life here in Hawaii?


Comments include concerns about the housing crisis.

Comments also include the observation that oligarchs pay less taxes than immigrants.  The comment about housing was a question whether immigrants affected availability.  No studies were cited to show whether that was true or not.  Do you know how the housing market in Hawaii is affected by immigrants?

[HiloJulie]

Really interesting Data Dive from Civil Beat:

You know me, so, just being clear here, the article is 1 year and 3 months old.

Maui County may be wayfinding a path for other Hawai'i counties to follow so as to not get entangled with the federal crackdown on immigrants.

Maybe something of an issue that a newly minted Hawaii County Police Chief could grab by the horns and spearhead the same for Hawaii County? Put some fresh notches on the brand new belt?

[Durian Fiend]

Really interesting Data Dive from Civil Beat:

Are the numbers in the article higher than average over time?  Lower?  That is, how have they affected any change to our life here in Hawaii?

The chart in the story shows the numbers for the state are at record highs.  The trend for Hawaii looks to be approximately the same as the nation as a whole: Currently (2025) triple the numbers seen in the past 10 years.

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

numbers for the state are at record highs. 

I didn’t phrase my question properly.  I meant to ask whether the number of illegal immigrants in Hawaii was higher or lower in the past than the estimate in the article.  I’m curious whether more foreign visitors are overstaying their visa and living here.  One would think the number might be higher over time as more arrive than leave?  Does it change our day to day life in any quantifiable way?  The charts list court backlogs due to COVID and deportations showing changes over the years.  The graphs show recent increases, but the percentage of deportations (hundreds) against the estimated total population (tens of thousands) is negligible.

[Punatang]

numbers for the state are at record highs. 

I didn’t phrase my question properly.  I meant to ask whether the number of illegal immigrants in Hawaii was higher or lower in the past than the estimate in the article.  I’m curious whether more foreign visitors are overstaying their visa and living here.  One would think the number might be higher over time as more arrive than leave?  Does it change our day to day life in any quantifiable way?  The charts list court backlogs due to COVID and deportations showing changes over the years.  The graphs show recent increases, but the percentage of deportations (hundreds) against the estimated total population (tens of thousands) is negligible.

Matthew Leonard, who wrote the Data Dive article, is probably the best person break down those exact immigration details for you. He is a senior reporter at Civil Beat focusing on data journalism. There’s a comment section after his article, you could ask him there, but it is over a year old so maybe it's best to email him?

http://civilbeat.org/2024/12/data-dive-h...ntury-high

About the Author

• 
  Matthew Leonard 
  Matthew Leonard is a senior reporter for Civil Beat, focusing on data journalism. He has worked in media and cultural organizations in both hemispheres since 1988. Follow him on Twitter at @mleonardmedia or email mleonard@civilbeat.org.
  Use the RSS feed to subscribe to Matthew Leonard's posts today
  

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

maybe it's best to email him?

I thought it would be faster to ask The Google about undocumented numbers in Hawaii since 2000.
Their summary indicates an increase from 2000-2010, relatively stable or slightly fluctuating (up and down?) since 2010.  So no big changes in undocumented residents over the last 15 years, but an increase in court case backlogs and cases introduced into court.

The numbers don’t really indicate a general trend over the time period.  2008 was high on all measures.  2025 had high backlog, low deportation orders, high number of cases introduced.  Looks like you can pick and choose a year and Make-Your-Own-Conclusions.

Estimates of the undocumented immigrant population in Hawaii have shown a generally stable or slightly fluctuating trend over the past two decades, with recent data indicating a post-COVID surge, placing the number between 41,000 and 50,500 as of 2024–2025.

Estimated Undocumented Population Trends (2000–2025)
2000s–2010: The unauthorized population in Hawaii grew during this period.
2018–2022: Data indicates the unauthorized population in Hawaii remained relatively stable around 42,000.

[HiloJulie]

Interesting Civil Beat article:

Judges' Crackdown On Virtual Hearings Adds Hurdles For Immigrants In Court - Honolulu Civil Beat

Anyone think this is in the best interests of legal jurisprudence, or to be as cruel, inhumane and outright mean as possible to some of the people most vulnerable?

[Chas]

As far as I can tell, "to be as cruel, inhumane and outright mean as possible" is the main goal.