Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has arrested nearly 400,000 illegal immigrants in President Donald Trump’s first year back in office, only 14% of whom had violent criminal records, CBS News reported, citing an internal Department of Homeland Security (DHS) document.
The statistics found in the document offer the most detailed insight to date into ICE’s operations and appear to contradict the Trump administration’s narrative that ICE has been targeting the “worst of the worst.”
“They’re apprehending murderers, drug dealers, a lot of bad people . . . vicious, many of them murderers,” Trump said during a press conference last month. “Boy, these are rough characters . . . Some of them who are brutal killers, they are mentally insane.”
The statistics compiled in the DHS document, which have not been released publicly, reveal that ICE arrested roughly 393,000 illegal immigrants.
That figure is more than triple the number of ICE arrests under former president Joe Biden in 2024, CBS News reported.
Notably, the document shows that only 14% of those apprehended by ICE had a violent criminal record, while 40% had no criminal history at all and were arrested on civil immigration charges, such as overstaying a visa.
Approximately 30% of those listed as having a criminal record included people whose offenses were limited to traffic violations.
Trump Administration claims ICE targets criminals
President Trump and senior administration officials have repeatedly framed immigration enforcement as targeting “murderers, rapists, gang members, and terrorists.” However, the internal DHS statistics appear to undercut that message, showing that the majority of those detained do not have violent criminal histories.
For example, less than 1% of total arrests involved accusations or convictions for homicide, and fewer than 2% were linked to sexual assault charges, according to the internal data.
DHS pushed back on the CBS News report in a post on X, claiming the outlet misinterpreted the data. “Here’s a more accurate headline, CBS. Nearly 70% of criminal aliens detained by ICE have pending charges or prior convictions,” the post said, referring to convictions and charges that took place outside the United States.
“So-called ‘non-violent’ offenders include individuals charged with drug trafficking, distribution of child pornography, burglary, fraud, DUI, embezzlement, solicitation of a minor, human smuggling, and more. Labeling these offenses as ‘non-violent’ does not mean they aren’t threats to public safety.”
The exchange reflects the ongoing debate over how ICE categorizes criminal offenses and what role those classifications play in prioritizing public safety threats.
Shifting public opinion on ICE
Public opinion in the United States on immigration enforcement has been shifting. While many Americans supported tougher deportation policies during the 2024 presidential campaign, subsequent reporting on enforcement tactics and the scope of arrests has contributed to growing concern over how and whom immigration authorities are targeting.
According to a PBS/Marist poll, 65% of respondents said they believe ICE has gone too far in its enforcement and deportation tactics since Trump took office last year, a sharp increase from a 54% disapproval rating in June 2025.
The data adds a new layer to the debate over immigration enforcement priorities as the administration moves forward with its expanded ICE operations.