ICE Data Reveals Thousands of Convicted Criminal Immigrants at Large in the U.S.
Over 600,000 illegal immigrants with criminal convictions or charges are reportedly not in detention, sparking safety concerns nationwide.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) data provided to lawmakers this week indicates that tens of thousands of illegal immigrants with serious criminal convictions—including homicide and sexual offenses—may be at large within the United States.
According to information shared with Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas), as of July 2024, the non-detained docket—which includes illegal immigrants who have final orders of removal or are undergoing removal proceedings but are not in ICE custody—numbers over 7 million individuals. Among these, 425,431 are convicted criminals, and an additional 222,141 have pending criminal charges.
READ LETTER BELOW:
Alarming Statistics
The data reveals convictions for a range of severe crimes:
- Assault: 62,231 convictions
- Burglary: 14,301 convictions
- Drug Offenses: 56,533 convictions
- Homicide: 13,099 convictions
- Kidnapping: 2,521 convictions
- Sexual Assault: 15,811 convictions
Pending charges include:
- Homicide: 1,845 individuals
- Assault: 42,915 individuals
- Burglary: 3,266 individuals
“As of July 21, 2024, there were 662,566 noncitizens with criminal histories on ICE’s national docket—13,099 criminally convicted murders!” Rep. Gonzales stated. “Americans deserve to be SAFE in our own communities.”
Sanctuary Cities Under Scrutiny
In a statement accompanying the data, ICE criticized “sanctuary” cities—jurisdictions that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.
“ICE recognizes that some jurisdictions are concerned that cooperating with federal immigration officials will erode trust with immigrant communities and make it harder for local law enforcement to serve those populations. However, ‘sanctuary’ policies can end up shielding dangerous criminals, who often victimize those same communities,” the agency asserted.
Administration’s Response
The Biden administration has faced criticism for policies that some argue have led to the release of numerous migrants into the interior of the country. Deportation numbers have fluctuated: 142,580 removals in FY 2023, up from 72,177 in FY 2022 and 59,011 in FY 2021, but still below the 267,258 deportations in FY 2019 under the previous administration.
In response to the data, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated that the figures are being “misinterpreted.” A spokesperson noted, “The data goes back decades; it includes individuals who entered the country over the past 40 years or more, the vast majority of whose custody determination was made long before this Administration. It also includes many who are under the jurisdiction or currently incarcerated by federal, state, or local law enforcement partners.”
Political Reactions
House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green (R-Tennessee) expressed deep concerns over the data. “It may be shocking to hear that the Biden-Harris administration is actively releasing tens of thousands of criminal illegal aliens into our communities, but their own numbers conclusively prove this to be the case. This defies all common sense,” he told Fox News Digital.
“How many more Americans need to die or be victimized before this administration is forced to abide by the laws they swore to uphold? This is madness. It is something no civilized, well-functioning society should tolerate,” Green added.
RJ Hauman, president of the National Immigration Center for Enforcement (NICE), was equally critical. “Border Czar Kamala Harris has had nearly four years to protect America and failed,” he stated. “She is allowing tens of thousands of murderers and rapists to roam free. She puts criminals first and the safety and security of you and your family last.”
Calls for Legislative Action
The administration maintains that comprehensive immigration reform is necessary to address systemic issues. DHS highlighted its efforts, stating that from mid-May 2023 through the end of July 2024, the department removed or returned more than 893,600 individuals, including over 138,300 individuals in family units.
“Despite the challenges of operating within a broken immigration system, and in the face of an enormous workload and consistently limited funding, DHS continues to enforce the law to secure our borders,” the department emphasized in its letter.
A bipartisan Senate bill introduced earlier this year aims to address some of these challenges by increasing the number of ICE detention beds. However, critics argue that not all existing beds are currently being utilized.
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