The Trump administration said it would prioritize arresting and deporting the “worst first,” but recent data shows a different story. In the first two weeks of February, over 1,800 people were detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) without any criminal convictions or pending charges. This group makes up 41% of the 4,422 new detainees during that time, according to NBC News.
Under the Biden administration in fiscal year 2024, ICE made 113,431 immigration arrests, with only 28% involving people without criminal convictions or charges. In contrast, the recent increase under Trump suggests a shift in who is being targeted.
ICE detention centers are close to their limit of 41,500 beds, with the number of people detained rising from 39,238 to 41,169 in just two weeks, as NBC reports. To handle this, new detention sites in Texas and Kentucky are being used, and there are plans to add at least 900 more beds in the Denver field office, which covers Colorado and Wyoming.
Only 13% of current ICE detainees are eligible for “expedited removal,” which would allow them to be deported without a court hearing. The other 87% are stuck in deportation proceedings that could take months or years because of a backlog of 3.6 million cases in immigration courts. At least 16,000 people in ICE detention are still waiting for a court date, but the question remains the same: are they truly the “worst” as described by the Trump administration?
ICE has been emphasizing public safety by highlighting arrests of people convicted of serious crimes like murder and domestic violence. However, the overall number of people detained with criminal convictions or pending charges went up 18% in the last two weeks, from around 14,000 to over 16,500. A less amount compared to the real majority of detentions.
ICE has recently been attempting to be more transparent about its enforcement actions by posting arrests of individuals allegedly facing criminal charges on its X account, @ICEgov. For example, on February 18, they shared: “This Salvadoran fugitive — wanted for aggravated homicide and terrorist organization — no longer threatens Americans. We finally removed him. 🔍Learn more about this case in our newsroom.”
However, @EROHouston’s last post was on February 14, suggesting that, despite ongoing arrests, the full scope of the data is not being disclosed. This lack of transparency adds to the challenges facing the Trump administration as it continues its approach to immigration enforcement. With detention centers nearly full and court cases piling up, the administration faces pressure to manage immigration effectively while maintaining its public safety messaging.
The disconnect between the administration’s stated priorities and the reality of ICE’s actions raises questions about the effectiveness and fairness of current immigration policies. As detention numbers climb and transparency remains limited, the need for a balanced approach that ensures public safety while respecting human rights becomes more pressing.
