Washington, D.C. — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests have surged under the Trump administration, with new data showing that many of those detained have no criminal convictions as the government expands its deportation campaign.
ICE recorded roughly 50,000 arrests in July, the highest monthly total of President Donald Trump’s second term, and enforcement remained at similarly elevated levels in August. Government data obtained and analyzed by the Deportation Data Project shows a growing share of arrests involve people without criminal records.
According to The Hill, 55% of those arrested had no prior interaction with law enforcement, while another 24% had faced charges but had not been convicted. Border czar Tom Homan separately acknowledged in July that about half of ICE arrests involved people he described as noncriminals.
The shift has drawn criticism from Democrats and some Republicans. Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, R-Fla., warned the administration not to “conflate the gangster with the gardener,” while Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., said some enforcement actions have gone too far.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has defended the broader approach, arguing that immigration violations remain enforceable regardless of criminal history.
The Deportation Data Project notes that ICE administrative arrests generally involve civil immigration violations, meaning the absence of a criminal conviction does not necessarily mean a person is lawfully present.
Sources
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