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Newsweek
17 minutes ago
- Newsweek
ICE Arrests of Migrants Without Criminal Records Surge Nearly 200 Percent
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A far larger share of non‑criminal migrants have been arrested as part of the Trump administration's expanded immigration enforcement campaign, according to new federal and independent data. The director of the Deportation Data Project told Newsweek that he found it "impossible" for the president to keep his promise of mass deportations of "criminals." Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary of public affairs at DHS, however, told Newsweek, in part, "It is not an accurate description to say they are 'non-criminals.' This deceptive categorization is devoid of reality and misleads the American public. Let us remind you that being here illegally is in fact a crime (8 USC 1325)." Why It Matters President Donald Trump emphasized a prioritization of the removal of violent offenders and the "worst of the worst" during his presidential campaign; however, data shows growing arrests of people without U.S. criminal charges or convictions, raising legal and policy questions about resources, detention capacity and humanitarian oversight. Recent cases involving nonviolent immigrants lacking criminal records have exacerbated concerns and led to broader discussions of whether immigrants, in certain instances, who lack citizenship but have abided by all other U.S. laws, should be removed. NYPD officers arrest protestors for blocking traffic on Broadway as they protest Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) outside of the Jacob K. Javitz Federal Building on August 08, 2025, in New York City. NYPD officers arrest protestors for blocking traffic on Broadway as they protest Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) outside of the Jacob K. Javitz Federal Building on August 08, 2025, in New York City. Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images What To Know Federal and independent datasets show that ICE arrested substantially more people overall during the Trump administration's first six months in office than during the final six months of the Biden administration. Researchers at the the University of California at Berkeley's Deportation Data Project, which compiles federal data, found that roughly 37 percent of ICE arrests in July 2025 were of people with no U.S. criminal convictions or pending charges—doubling to about 92,000 during the first six months of the Trump administration compared with the final half‑year of the Joe Biden administration. That 37 percent figure is up from 13 percent during Biden's last full month in office in December. "As the [Trump] administration increases immigration arrests, it will inevitably sweep in many people with no criminal record," Davis Hausman, a law professor and faculty director of the Deportation Data Project, told Newsweek via email on Thursday. "There just aren't many noncitizens with criminal records, so the promise of mass deportations of criminals is an impossible one to keep." The Trump administration has dramatically increased arrests of people who have never been convicted of a crime in the US, accounting for a little more than 60 percent of ICE arrests during his first six months in office, roughly equating to 188 days, compared to the 44 percent of arrests during Biden's last six months as president. Of the Trump administration's approximate 132,485 arrests, 39 percent had criminal convictions; 31 percent had criminal charges pending; and 30 percent had no criminal charges. In comparison, the Biden administration's approximate 52,334 arrests included 56 percent with criminal convictions, 28 percent with pending criminal charges, and 16 percent with no criminal charges. Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary of public affairs at DHS, told Newsweek via email that the Deportation Data Project "is being cherry peddle a false narrative." Multiple independent analyses and reporting showed the detention population rose to record levels in June and July, with estimates of roughly 55,000 to 59,000 people held in ICE facilities during late June and July, according to The Guardian—noting that ICE arrests have more than doubled in 38 states and are most prevalent in states with large immigrant populations including California, Florida and Texas. Southern and western states that have embraced Trump's agenda have also experienced higher arrests. During a White House meeting in May, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller urged ICE agents to aim for as many as 3,000 arrests per day. A recent case involving a Chinese immigrant and small-business restaurant owner, Kelly Yu, in Arizona has led to bipartisan calls for her release from ICE detainment. DHS has refuted statements in her defense. "Lai Kuen Yu, an illegal alien from Hong Kong, has had a final deportation order from a judge since 2005," Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary of public affairs at DHS, told Newsweek via email. "She was arrested illegally crossing the border by U.S. Border Patrol in Arizona on February 4, 2004, and two days later was released into the country." DHS said that in November 2013, the Board of Immigration Appeals dismissed her appeal and upheld her final order of removal. On August 23, 2016, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit denied her appeal. On June 12 of this year, the Board of Immigration Appeals granted her a temporary stay of removal while it considers her motion to reopen. She will remain in ICE custody pending her removal proceedings. "ICE does not deport U.S. citizens," McLaughlin said. "It's her choice. Parents are asked if they want to be removed with their children or ICE will place the children with someone the parent designates." What People Are Saying Davis Hausman, a law professor and faculty director of the Deportation Data Project, told Newsweek via email on Thursday: "As the [Trump] administration increases immigration arrests, it will inevitably sweep in many people with no criminal record. There just aren't many noncitizens with criminal records, so the promise of mass deportations of criminals is an impossible one to keep." Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary of public affairs at DHS, told Newsweek via email on Thursday: "This data is being cherry picked by the Deportation Data Project to peddle a false narrative. Many of the individuals that are counted as 'non-criminals' are actually terrorists, human rights abusers, gangsters and more; they just don't have a rap sheet in the U.S. Further, every single one of these individuals committed a crime when they came into this country illegally. "It is not an accurate description to say they are 'non-criminals.' This deceptive categorization is devoid of reality and misleads the American public. Let us remind you that being here illegally is in fact a crime (8 USC 1325). We are putting the American people first by removing illegal aliens who pose a threat to our communities." What Happens Next Lawmakers have sent oversight letters raising priority questions for enforcement, and legal groups filed suits challenging arrests at courthouses and expanded detention practices, indicating litigation and hearings were likely to follow. The administration has sought expanded detention capacity and funding to sustain higher arrest rates, with federal budget allocations and proposals under discussion as the enforcement campaign continues.
The Onion
2 hours ago
- The Onion
DHS Offers $1,000 Stipend To Migrants Who Voluntarily Self-Destruct
WASHINGTON—In an ambitious new effort targeting undocumented immigrants, the Department of Homeland Security announced this week that it would begin offering a $1,000 stipend to migrants who voluntarily self-destruct. 'If you are here illegally, the easiest, most cost-effective way to avoid arrest is by downloading the Customs and Border Patrol app, pressing the red button, and—after the the 10-second countdown—exploding,' said Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, who explained that since it costs far more than $1,000 on average for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to hunt down and demolish a single migrant, noncitizens who blow themselves up will save American taxpayers billions of dollars. 'For those without legal status, self-destruction is fast, discreet, and puts you in control of your own splattering. All we need from eligible illegal aliens is photographic proof of your blood and viscera on the ground, along with your routing number, and we'll deposit $1,000 directly into your bank account, no questions asked.' At press time, DHS was facing backlash after widespread reports that it had failed to pay the $1,000 promised to any of the migrants who self-detonated.
Washington Post
2 hours ago
- Washington Post
A car accident in small-town Tennessee leads to US charges against a major Mexican drug operation
WASHINGTON — The investigation began years ago after two drug dealers got into a car accident in a small Tennessee town. What followed was a series of secret wiretaps, a shootout with police and the discovery of drugs hidden in a tractor trailer that would eventually lead federal investigators back to cartel leaders in Mexico. The investigation culminated with Justice Department indictments unsealed Thursday against three leaders and two high-ranking enforcers of the United Cartels, a leading rival of Jalisco New Generation Cartel. The U.S. government is offering a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the arrest of United Cartels' top leader, Juan José Farías Álvarez — 'El Abuelo,' or the grandfather — along with multimillion-dollar rewards for the four others. All five are believed to be in Mexico. The cases, as outlined in court documents, provide a glimpse into how drugs produced by violent cartels in large labs in Mexico flow across the U.S. border and reach American streets. They also highlight the violent fallout that drug trafficking leaves in its path from the mountains of Mexico to small U.S. towns. 'These cases in particular serve as a powerful reminder of the insidious impacts that global cartels can have on our local American communities,' Matthew Galeotti, acting assistant attorney general in charge of the Justice Department's criminal division said in an interview with The Associated Press. 'The chain started with a violent cartel in Mexico and it ended with law enforcement being shot at in a small town.' United Cartels is an umbrella organization made up of smaller cartels that have worked for different groups over time. It holds a fierce grip over the western state of Michoacan, Mexico. United Cartels is not as widely known as Jalisco New Generation, but given its role as a prolific methamphetamine producer, it has become a top tier target for U.S. law enforcement. It was one of eight groups recently named foreign terrorist organizations by the Trump administration. The case goes back to 2019, when two dealers got into a car accident in a small town outside Knoxville, Tennessee, according to a search warrant affidavit filed in court. While fleeing the scene of the crash, they threw a hardened protective case filled with meth behind a building before being caught by police, according to court documents. Authorities began investigating, using wiretaps, search warrants and surveillance to identify a man believed to be leading a major drug ring in the Atlanta area: Eladio Mendoza. The investigation into Mendoza's suspected drug operation led law enforcement in early 2020 to a hotel near Atlanta. During their surveillance, authorities spotted a man leaving with a large Doritos bag. Troopers tried to stop the man after he drove from Georgia into Tennessee but he fled and fired an AK-style rifle at officers, hitting one in the leg before another trooper shot him. Inside the bag, police found meth and heroin, and identified him as a low-level dealer for Mendoza's drug ring, court records say. Weeks later, authorities searched properties linked to Mendoza and seized phones. They discovered messages between Mendoza and a close associate of 'El Abuelo,' the leader of United Cartels, that showed the drugs were coming from Mexico, according to the court records. On one of Mendoza's properties, investigators found a tractor trailer that had crossed from Mexico days earlier. When they searched it, authorities seized 850 kilograms of meth hidden in the floor of the truck and discovered more drugs inside a bus and a home on the property, court papers say. Mendoza fled the U.S. a short time later and returned to Mexico, where he was killed by cartels leaders angry that U.S. authorities had seized their cash and drugs, according to prosecutors. The case represents the latest effort by the Republican administration to turn up the pressure on cartels through not only indictments of the groups' leaders but sanctions. The Treasury Department is also bringing economic sanctions against the five defendants as well as the United Cartels as a group and another cartel, Los Viagras. 'We have to pursue these criminals up and down the chain to make sure that the end result doesn't result in violence and narcotics distribution on our streets,' Galeotti said. In addition to 'El Abuelo,' those facing U.S. indictments are Alfonso Fernández Magallón, or Poncho, and Nicolás Sierra Santana or 'El Gordo,' who authorities say lead smaller cartels under the United Cartels organization. The two other defendants are Edgar Orozco Cabadas or 'El Kamoni,' who was communicating with Mendoza, and Luis Enrique Barragán Chavaz, or 'Wicho,' who serves as Magallón second-in-command, according to authorities. The Trump administration has seen major cooperation from Mexico in recent months in turning over cartel leaders wanted by U.S. authorities. In February, Mexico sent the U.S. 29 drug cartel figures, including drug lord Rafael Caro Quintero, who was behind the killing of a U.S. DEA agent in 1985 , to the U.S. And on Tuesday, the Mexican government transferred to American custody 26 additional cartel leaders and other high-ranking members , including a man charged in connection to the killing of a Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy. 'We're working with the Mexican authorities to pursue these individuals,' Galeotti said. 'We continue to work proactively with them, and we expect that they'll be helpful with us in securing the presence of these individuals in United States courtrooms.'
