Recent data reveals a significant increase in the arrests of individuals without criminal histories during high-profile immigration enforcement actions in cities such as Chicago, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C. Despite claims by the Trump administration that these operations primarily target unauthorized immigrants with criminal backgrounds, the statistics indicate that many detained individuals had only civil immigration violations.
According to data released by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and published by the Deportation Data Project on October 15, 2023, the number of daily detentions in Chicago surged from about three individuals without criminal records in early September to over 45 by mid-October. This represents an astonishing increase of more than 1,400%. In contrast, fewer than 25 individuals with criminal charges or convictions were detained on average each day during the same period.
In Washington, D.C., the trend mirrors that of Chicago. Average daily detentions of individuals without criminal records peaked at 37 in late August, while the daily average of individuals with criminal charges remained below ten. This reflects a stable pattern consistent with the period before the enforcement actions began.
Los Angeles has seen a different trend, with overall immigration arrests declining since the summer. In June and July, 63% of those initially detained did not have criminal records. In Memphis, Tennessee, where federal operations commenced recently, more than half of the detentions in the first two weeks of October involved individuals with only civil immigration violations.
Unlike other cities, Portland, Oregon, displayed a more balanced approach, with an even distribution of detentions among those with criminal convictions, pending charges, and civil violations during the summer and early fall months.
The involvement of Border Patrol agents in these operations has been notable, particularly in Chicago and Los Angeles, where detainees are held in ICE detention centers. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has publicly stated its intention to focus on individuals with criminal records. A news release regarding the Chicago operation, named “Operation Midway Blitz,” emphasized a focus on the “worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens.”
Yet, officials such as Tom Homan, the former border czar, and Todd Lyons, the acting director of ICE, have asserted that anyone found to be in the U.S. illegally will be arrested. While the federal government maintains authority to arrest individuals for immigration law violations, many may qualify for protections from deportation, particularly those with asylum claims.
In response to reporting on the rising number of non-criminal arrests, DHS has claimed that 70% of those arrested by ICE since the beginning of the second Trump administration had criminal charges or convictions. The data supports this assertion, indicating that 66% of detainees from January 20 to October 15 had such records. However, this percentage has diminished each month since April, highlighting a growing trend of detentions involving individuals with only civil immigration violations.
Approximately 7% of those detained faced convictions for violent crimes, including murder, rape, assault, and robbery. The data does not specify the severity of charges for those without convictions, which could encompass serious felonies or minor immigration-related offenses.
In a statement on social media, DHS spokesperson Trisha McLaughlin emphasized that all individuals found in the country illegally have violated immigration laws. Typically, being present in the U.S. illegally is treated as a civil violation rather than a criminal offense.
The implications of these findings raise important questions about the focus and impact of current immigration enforcement strategies in the United States. As the landscape of immigration policy continues to evolve, the experiences of those caught in the crosshairs of these operations illustrate the growing complexity of immigration enforcement in contemporary society.
