President Donald Trump has vowed to deport the most dangerous individuals, yet the majority of those currently detained by immigration authorities do not have criminal convictions, as per government data on ongoing detentions. Contrary to Trump’s alarming portrayal to bolster border security measures, relatively few detainees have been convicted of serious crimes.
Latest statistics from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) reveal that out of 57,861 individuals detained as of June 29, 71.7 percent (41,495 people) have no criminal convictions. This includes 14,318 with pending criminal charges and 27,177 under immigration enforcement but lacking known criminal convictions or charges.
Ahilan Arulanantham, co-faculty director of the UCLA Law School’s Center for Immigration Law and Policy, pointed out the disparity between rhetoric and reality in immigration enforcement.
ICE categorizes detainees into threat levels ranging from 1 to 3, with non-criminal individuals classified as having “no ICE threat level.” Data as of June 23 showed that 84 percent of those detained at 201 facilities nationwide did not receive a threat level, while 7 percent were deemed level 1 threats, 4 percent level 2, and 5 percent level 3.
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson emphasized the administration’s focus on targeting unvetted criminal offenders residing in the country illegally, citing recent operations to rescue exploited children and apprehend serious criminals like murderers, pedophiles, gang members, and rapists.
A report by the libertarian think-tank Cato Institute revealed that by June 14, 65 percent of the over 204,000 individuals processed by ICE since the start of fiscal year 2025 had no criminal convictions. Among those with convictions, only 6.9 percent committed violent crimes, while 53 percent were involved in nonviolent offenses related to immigration, traffic violations, or vice crimes.
Although most ICE detainees are non-convicted individuals, the administration has highlighted cases of high-level offenders being apprehended to justify its stringent immigration policies. Trump’s references to migrants as “vermin” and the enactment of the Laken Riley Act, requiring detention of unauthorized immigrants accused of theft and violent crimes, underscore the administration’s stance.
Contrary to Trump’s claims linking migrants to violent crimes in the U.S., research indicates that immigrants have lower incarceration rates compared to native-born Americans. Various studies, including a 2023 report by the National Bureau of Economic Research, demonstrate declining incarceration rates among immigrants over the past century.
The Trump administration’s rhetoric has led to a surge in ICE arrests, with quotas set by White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller resulting in a significant increase in daily apprehensions. Critics argue that such false narratives contribute to unwarranted arrests and perpetuate harmful stereotypes based on race and ethnicity.
Following heightened immigration enforcement activities, a tragic incident occurred during an ICE raid at a California cannabis facility where a farmworker fell from a greenhouse roof and later succumbed to injuries. The operation, marked by tense interactions between authorities and protestors, underscores the tensions surrounding immigration enforcement in the region.
The Department of Homeland Security executed criminal search warrants at Glass House Farms facilities in Camarillo and Carpinteria during the raid, resulting in the arrest of around 200 individuals suspected of residing in the country unlawfully. The unfortunate death during the operation marked the first fatality in the ongoing immigration enforcement efforts under the Trump administration.