U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) has identified over 660,000 foreign nationals with criminal records living freely across the United States, a situation that is raising concerns about public safety and immigration enforcement policies. This group includes individuals who have been convicted or are facing charges for serious crimes such as homicide, sexual assault, kidnapping, and more, as revealed in details provided to Congress.
According to ICE Deputy Director Patrick Lechleitner’s statement on July 21, 2024, the agency's docket holds records of 662,566 noncitizens with criminal histories. Among these, 435,719 have been convicted of various offenses while another 226,847 face pending charges. The breakdown of these crimes includes significant numbers for violent and dangerous offenses: 14,914 related to homicide; 20,061 for sexual assault; and over 105,146 for assault charges among others.
The issue is compounded by the fact that many of these individuals were released into communities due to non-cooperation from local jurisdictions with ICE detainer requests. These so-called "sanctuary city" policies limit local law enforcement's engagement with federal immigration authorities which, according to Lechleitner, can lead to dangerous criminals being shielded from deportation and continuing to pose threats within those very communities.
From October 1, 2020 through July 22, 2024, ICE reports having lifted detainers for nearly 25,000 known criminals because of non-compliance by state and local law enforcement agencies—a decision that has sparked controversy and criticism from political figures.
House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Mark Green criticized the Biden-Harris administration for what he sees as a failure to enforce immigration laws effectively. Texas Governor Greg Abbott also expressed alarm at the statistics presented by ICE which suggest a significant threat posed by released criminal foreign nationals.
In addition to public safety concerns raised by these releases into U.S. communities are questions regarding the effectiveness of current immigration enforcement strategies. Despite efforts resulting in over 387,000 arrests of criminal noncitizens between fiscal years 2021 through 2023—primarily in Texas cities like Dallas and Houston—the challenge remains substantial.
Furthermore, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data highlights nearly 54,000 apprehensions of criminal noncitizens since fiscal year 2021 alone. These figures predominantly include arrests for illegal entry or reentry into the country and driving under the influence (DUI), underscoring ongoing issues at the border alongside those within interior enforcement operations.
This situation presents a complex challenge for U.S. immigration policy and law enforcement efforts aimed at ensuring public safety while respecting individuals’ rights within sanctuary jurisdictions. The debate continues over how best to balance these priorities against a backdrop of legal constraints and differing views on immigration policy across states and municipalities in America.
According to ICE Deputy Director Patrick Lechleitner’s statement on July 21, 2024, the agency's docket holds records of 662,566 noncitizens with criminal histories. Among these, 435,719 have been convicted of various offenses while another 226,847 face pending charges. The breakdown of these crimes includes significant numbers for violent and dangerous offenses: 14,914 related to homicide; 20,061 for sexual assault; and over 105,146 for assault charges among others.
The issue is compounded by the fact that many of these individuals were released into communities due to non-cooperation from local jurisdictions with ICE detainer requests. These so-called "sanctuary city" policies limit local law enforcement's engagement with federal immigration authorities which, according to Lechleitner, can lead to dangerous criminals being shielded from deportation and continuing to pose threats within those very communities.
From October 1, 2020 through July 22, 2024, ICE reports having lifted detainers for nearly 25,000 known criminals because of non-compliance by state and local law enforcement agencies—a decision that has sparked controversy and criticism from political figures.
House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Mark Green criticized the Biden-Harris administration for what he sees as a failure to enforce immigration laws effectively. Texas Governor Greg Abbott also expressed alarm at the statistics presented by ICE which suggest a significant threat posed by released criminal foreign nationals.
In addition to public safety concerns raised by these releases into U.S. communities are questions regarding the effectiveness of current immigration enforcement strategies. Despite efforts resulting in over 387,000 arrests of criminal noncitizens between fiscal years 2021 through 2023—primarily in Texas cities like Dallas and Houston—the challenge remains substantial.
Furthermore, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data highlights nearly 54,000 apprehensions of criminal noncitizens since fiscal year 2021 alone. These figures predominantly include arrests for illegal entry or reentry into the country and driving under the influence (DUI), underscoring ongoing issues at the border alongside those within interior enforcement operations.
This situation presents a complex challenge for U.S. immigration policy and law enforcement efforts aimed at ensuring public safety while respecting individuals’ rights within sanctuary jurisdictions. The debate continues over how best to balance these priorities against a backdrop of legal constraints and differing views on immigration policy across states and municipalities in America.
