Less than 10 pct of immigrants taken into U.S. ICE custody since October had serious criminal convictions: data

NEW YORK, June 16 (Xinhua) -- More than 75 percent of people booked into custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in fiscal year 2025 had no criminal conviction other than an immigration or traffic-related offense, according to ICE records from October through the end of May. And less than 10 percent were convicted of serious crimes like murder, assault, robbery or rape.

Public ICE data released by the administration showed that most immigrants currently in the agency's custody do not have a prior criminal conviction. But, as CNN reported on Monday, the internal data it reviewed went deeper, making clear that even among those convicted of crimes, a substantial percentage faced only relatively minor charges.

The internal data covered the more than 185,000 immigrants who have been booked into ICE custody during the last months of the Biden administration and first months of the Trump administration, including those detained by ICE agents and those detained by Customs and Border Protection who were then placed in ICE custody.

However, in a statement, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) challenged the premise of CNN's questions and referenced data limited to ICE arrests in a shorter timeframe. DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said ICE targets "the worst of the worst-including gang members, murderers, and rapists. In President Donald Trump's first 100 days, 75 percent of ICE arrests were criminal illegal aliens with convictions or pending charges."