The latest data from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) reveals a significant shift in the demographics of individuals in immigration detention. Today, ICE has a capacity to detain 59,762 people all over the U.S. Interestingly, the single largest group held in these detention centers are immigrants with no criminal record at all. This is nothing short of a sea change. For the first time ever, more people without a criminal record have replaced those with convictions or pending charges under the second Trump administration.
This data shows that there are currently 16,523 people in ICE detention who have no criminal history. 15,725 people do possess a known criminal background. Beyond them, another 13,767 detainees are awaiting criminal charges. This change represents a historic reversal of trends. This is despite the fact that in the past, people with no criminal record constituted just 7 percent of the people detained.
To which Tricia McLaughlin, then assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), rebutted with her own pointed comment. She asserted that ICE prioritizes the arrest of those who present the greatest threat to public safety.
“The facts are ICE is targeting the worst of the worst – including murderers, MS-13 gang members, pedophiles, and rapists. Seventy percent of ICE arrests are of criminal illegal aliens who have been convicted or have pending charges in the US – that doesn’t even include known or suspected terrorists, foreign gang members, convictions for violent crimes in foreign countries, or Interpol notices.” – Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary for public affairs at DHS
Critics have been quick to call out DHS officials’ misleading statements. They contend that most of the people in detention are just industrious folks trying to make a better life for themselves and their families. A former homeland security civil rights official expressed concern over the disparity between ICE’s own classification and how the agency is seen by the public.
“These are hardworking people. These are not criminals.” – Former homeland security civil rights official
Additionally, this official voiced concerns about the expansive definition of what a criminal is under today’s immigration rule.
“I’m sure the Trump administration is defining ‘criminal’ really widely to say that if they are here undocumented, then they are a ‘criminal’. But these are not bad people.” – Former homeland security civil rights official
This spike in detentions matches up with ICE’s directive to increase the severity of its enforcement strategies. Their plan is to arrest at least 3,000 people every single day—roughly one million arrests per year. According to available data, 70% of these arrests are for people who already have a conviction or who face charges.
Recent enforcement actions highlight this aggressive approach. Just earlier this month, federal agents raided an illegal worker factory-in-the-making on a Hyundai factory site in Georgia. They detained more than 300 individuals, the overwhelming majority of whom were South Korean nationals. This operation has since resulted in a firestorm of diplomatic tension between the United States and South Korea.
In late August, ICE’s detention numbers reached a historic high of over 61,000 individuals, prompting discussions about immigration enforcement strategies and funding. This upcoming fiscal year will represent the most financial support for immigration enforcement ever. The source of this increase is legislation passed by the Republican-controlled Congress last summer.
This is a deepening of local law enforcement agencies’ collaboration with ICE through local law enforcement agencies’ increasing willingness to be deputized for immigration enforcement. This new partnership raises serious questions regarding community trust and public safety. Today, communities are grappling with the fallout from ramped-up immigration enforcement.