ICE detentions of non-criminal immigrants spike; about 8% have violent convictions, analysis of new data shows

Immigration Enforcement Sees Sharp Spike in Detentions of Non-Criminals

A sudden surge in detention rates for immigrants without a criminal history has raised eyebrows among immigration advocates and lawmakers. Data from the Department of Homeland Security shows that the number of detentions of individuals facing only civil immigration charges, such as those who entered the country without authorization, more than doubled between May and June.

The recent uptick is attributed to a broader push by President Trump's administration to expand immigration enforcement, with White House adviser Stephen Miller announcing a new target of 3,000 daily arrests. The proposal marks a significant increase from the average of 660 daily arrests during Mr. Trump's first 100 days in office.

However, analysis of data reveals that most detainees have no violent convictions or pending criminal charges. Only about 8% of all detainees had been convicted of violent crimes, with nearly 40% having prior convictions for non-violent offenses. The majority of those with criminal records were detained for traffic-related offenses, such as driving under the influence.

Immigration experts point out that targeting non-criminals is a more effective way to dismantle organized crime networks and identify potential security threats. "It requires significantly more resources to go after one person who may be armed and dangerous as opposed to going outside a Home Depot and trying to gather a larger number of people," said Ariel Ruiz Soto, a senior policy analyst at the Migration Policy Institute.

Despite the rhetoric from President Trump and top White House officials emphasizing the focus on violent criminals, data suggests that the enforcement efforts are indeed targeting non-criminals. The CBS News poll conducted in early June shows that mass deportation of non-criminals is unpopular among Americans, with support dropping dramatically among those who do not think the administration's focus was solely on dangerous criminals.

Heightened ICE activity has sparked protests across the country, particularly in Los Angeles, where Mr. Trump called in the National Guard in response to public safety concerns. California's Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom accused the administration of "indiscriminately targeting hardworking immigrant families, regardless of their roots or risk."

Lawmakers are also taking notice, with six GOP members of Congress writing a letter to ICE acting director Todd Lyons requesting that ICE reveal how many convicted criminals have been deported since January. Experts warn that this approach could lead to unintended consequences and undermine public trust in the administration's immigration policies.

As the debate over immigration enforcement continues to intensify, one thing is clear: the line between criminal and non-criminal targets is becoming increasingly blurred.

I'm literally shocked at these numbers! Did you see that only 8% of all detainees had violent convictions? That's crazy low! And like, most of them were detained for traffic-related offenses... who gets arrested for DUI and deported? The fact that the government is saying they're targeting non-criminals when really it's just a bunch of people with minor infractions getting caught up in this mess is super concerning. According to CBS News, only 22% of Americans support mass deportation... like what?! And have you seen the protests going on across the country? It's not just about immigration reform, it's about human rights and dignity for all people!

the way trump's team is pushing for 3000 daily arrests is like they think that's gonna magically make the US safer. but it's not working that way. what they're doing is creating a mess, targeting non-criminals who are just trying to live their lives. it's like they're playing politics with people's lives . and you know what's even more concerning? it's giving a bad name to those who do have criminal records, like saying they're all the same as the non-criminals being detained. no, not everyone who's been convicted of something is gonna commit a violent crime. this approach is all about fear-mongering and scapegoating .

and can we talk about california gov gavin newsom for a sec? he's standing up for his people, like you would expect from any decent leader. but then again, you gotta wonder what they're gonna do when trump starts making moves on california. it's gonna be interesting to see how that plays out .

anyway, the main point is that this whole immigration enforcement thing needs to get back on track. we need to find a way to make sure people are getting in line and following the rules without resorting to mass detentions and deportations. it's just not working right now .

omg u guys its like totally crazy how can they be detaining ppl w/o any criminal record?? i mean we all know thats not right... but at the same time u gotta feel the admin's frustration with immigration lol anyway im low-key impressed that ppl are speaking out about this... it shows we care also idk what's more messed up, the fact they're detaining ppl w/ non-violent offenses or the fact theyre trying to cover it up like its all about violent criminals newsflash: thats not whats really happening

I feel so bad for these families who are being targeted for no reason . It's like they're living in fear of getting picked up by ICE just because they're here without papers. I don't get why we need to deport them, they're just trying to make a better life for themselves and their kids. And now with the data showing that most detainees have no violent convictions or pending charges, it's like we're putting our lives on hold just for the sake of enforcement. We gotta think about the human cost of this policy, you know?

I'm seeing a lot of people getting detained for not even doing anything wrong . It's like they're saying "you gotta be bad" to come here. But what about those who just want a better life? I get that we need to keep our country safe, but targeting innocent people isn't the answer . We should be focusing on deporting actual criminals and helping those who are here without breaking any laws . It's like my friend said "if you're not hurting anyone, why are you in trouble?" It just doesn't make sense to me . I'm all for keeping our borders secure, but we gotta be smart about it too . We can't keep throwing out people who aren't even a risk to society .

I'm really worried about where this is headed. Targeting non-criminals for detention just doesn't make sense to me. They're not posing a threat to public safety... most of them aren't even committing crimes. It feels like they're more focused on making an example out of people who are already vulnerable. We need to think about the human impact of these policies, not just the numbers.

We should be working towards solutions that bring people together, not driving them further apart. The idea that we can dismantle organized crime networks by targeting non-criminals just doesn't add up. It's like trying to solve a puzzle with two different pieces that don't fit. We need to find a better way to address the root causes of these issues.

It's also concerning that some lawmakers are questioning how many convicted criminals have been deported since January. What if they're not getting the information because it's just not available? It feels like we're just trying to sweep this under the rug without really addressing the problem.

I'm all for keeping our communities safe, but this approach is just not working. We need to find a more compassionate and effective way to address immigration issues.

u guys know what's going on here? they're detaining people who are good as gold, literally no records of violence or crime whatsoever... only 8% of detainees were even convicted of a violent crime! can you believe that? and its not like they're hiding in some dark alleyway, oh no... they just happened to be caught at home depot with a expired visa... meanwhile the admin is pushing for more arrests, like they think non-criminals are somehow contributing to organized crime? newsflash: they're not! and btw, who needs 3,000 daily arrests when you have people getting hurt and deported without even having a chance to explain themselves?

ICE is getting crazy Detaining people for no reason other than they're here without papers? That's just weird .

I'm getting super worried about all this ... I mean, think about it, we're talking about people who just wanna live their lives, work hard, and contribute to society, but instead they get caught up in this huge mess because of some minor offense like driving under the influence . And then you got these politicians, like President Trump, saying we gotta crack down on all non-criminals too... it's just not making sense to me . I mean, what about our values as a society? Don't we want people who are good eggs, who don't hurt anyone, to be able to live here without fear of deportation? It's like, let's focus on the real villains out there and leave the rest alone, you know?

OMG, like seriously can't believe what's happening with all these detentions . I mean, I get that we gotta keep our country safe, but targeting people who don't even have a record? That doesn't make sense to me. My friends are from Mexico and they've never even had so much as a speeding ticket . It's just not fair.

And what about all the resources being wasted on this? Like, we could be spending that money on education and stuff instead of chasing down people who aren't hurting anyone . And have you seen those numbers about how most detainees don't even have any violent convictions? Like, 8% is still a lot but I guess it's better than nothing.

I'm so tired of the politicians just saying whatever they think will get them votes without thinking about the actual consequences . We need to focus on finding solutions that actually work, you know? Not just throwing more people in detention centers and hoping for the best.

Ugh, I don't even know what to say right now . This whole thing is just so messed up.

it's kinda crazy how some ppl think detaining people without a record is a good idea... like what's next? deporting people for having a weird tattoo or something but seriously, this just shows how flawed the system is. if they're focusing on non-criminals, that means resources are being wasted on people who shouldn't even be in trouble . it's all about targeting organized crime networks and security threats, but what about the innocent ppl caught in the crossfire?

I gotta say, I'm not buying the whole "targeting violent criminals" narrative here... Like, come on, 8% of detainees have violent convictions? That's still a pretty small number compared to the overall detention rate. And let's be real, most non-violent offenses are basically just minor stuff like driving under the influence .

I also think it's kinda rich that immigration experts are saying that targeting non-criminals is more effective at dismantling organized crime networks. Like, isn't that what law enforcement for, though? I'm not seeing any evidence to support the claim that mass deportation of non-criminals is a more effective way to tackle security threats.

And don't even get me started on the whole "public safety concerns" thing . California's governor is basically saying that ICE is targeting innocent families, and I think he's onto something there... It's just not cool when you're going after people who aren't even a threat to public safety.

I don’t usually comment but... I'm kinda worried about this sudden spike in detention rates for non-criminals. Like, what's the point of detaining people who haven't even done anything wrong? It seems like a huge waste of resources to me. I mean, we've got real problems with organized crime and security threats, but are we using our best efforts to tackle that instead of just rounding up people who fit a certain profile?

And can we talk about the language being used here? "More effective way" sounds like something out of a propaganda movie . Like, what does that even mean? Are they seriously trying to spin this as some kind of moral crusade? And I'm not buying it.

I don't know about you guys, but I think we need to have a real conversation about immigration reform and finding solutions that actually work for everyone

This whole thing just feels like a mess. I mean, on one hand, we get it, there are bad people out here who need to be held accountable, but on the other hand, can't we at least make sure they're not dragging down innocent families with them? It's all about resources, right? Like, why would you want to risk going after someone like that alone when you could catch a whole bunch of them at once? But what's really worrying me is how it's affecting the daily lives of people who just want to live in this country without drama. We need some clarity here, but for now, I'm left wondering if we're creating more problems than we're solving