ICE Detention Shift: Non-Criminal Immigrants Now Largest Group Under Second Trump Administration

New government data reveals a significant shift within US immigration detention facilities: immigrants with no criminal record now constitute the largest group held by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This marks a notable development under the second Trump administration, contradicting the White House’s repeated narrative that its enforcement efforts primarily target dangerous criminals.

According to the latest figures released by ICE on Thursday, 16,523 individuals without a criminal history were arrested and detained, surpassing the 15,725 people with existing criminal records and 13,767 with pending charges. The total population in ICE detention across the US currently stands at 59,762, with the remainder brought in by border officials.

This is the first time during the second Trump administration that the number of non-criminal immigrants in detention has exceeded those with criminal convictions or pending charges. Critics highlight that being undocumented in the US is a civil infraction, not a criminal offense, challenging the administration’s broad definition of ‘criminal.’

Since January, following Trump’s return to the White House, there has been a surge in arrests of immigrants with no criminal history. This escalation aligns with earlier directives from top Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials for ICE to toughen tactics and aim for 3,000 arrests per day. Federal agencies like the FBI and DEA, along with an increasing number of local law enforcement, have been assisting ICE in these operations.

The push has also led to a rise in ‘collateral arrests,’ where ICE detains additional individuals found at a scene while executing a warrant for someone else. This practice contributes to the detention of non-criminal immigrants and, in some cases, even those legally present in the US, as exemplified by a recent raid on a Hyundai factory construction site in Georgia that led to a diplomatic rift with South Korea.

In late August, the ICE detained population reached a historic peak of over 61,000 people. Reports of inhumane conditions within facilities persist, even as the administration denies any ‘sub-prime’ situations. With the new fiscal year commencing in October, immigration enforcement is poised to receive unprecedented funding from Republican-controlled Congress.

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