'Man identified as Superman advocates for capture and expulsion of undocumented immigrants'
In a recent turn of events, data reveals that a significant number of individuals held in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention have no criminal record or have been charged with minor offenses.
According to Syracuse University's Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse and TRAC Immigration statistics, as of mid-2025, approximately 71% of people in ICE detention had no criminal conviction [2][4]. This figure represents a significant increase from the 7% (about 1,048 detainees) in January 2025, which rose sharply to 29% (around 11,972 detainees) by June 2025, marking a 1,042% rise [1].
Further analysis by the Cato Institute found that 65% of those detained between October 2024 and June 2025 had no criminal record, and over 93% had never been convicted of violent crimes [1]. Many detainees with convictions were charged with minor offenses, such as traffic violations [2][5].
This shift in ICE's detention practices reflects a change in immigration enforcement priorities, with a surge in arrests and detentions of non-criminal immigration violators since early 2025. This surge coincides with the Trump administration's return to office and intensified deportation efforts [3][5].
Former ICE acting director John Sandweg noted that recent operations are "more likely to find non-criminals than criminals" [1]. The trend of detaining individuals with no criminal convictions has also been supported by sources close to ICE, as stated by the Cato Institute [2].
President Donald Trump has vowed to increase the rate of deportations from the US to one million per year. To achieve this, ICE has announced recruitment bonuses of up to $50,000 and student loan help for Americans interested in joining the Trump administration's deportation drive [6].
Dean Cain, the former Superman actor, has announced his intention to become a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent, citing the need to help secure the safety of Americans as his reason [7]. However, it has been reported that between 65% and 71% of immigrants detained by ICE have no criminal record [2].
It is essential to note that while some ICE detainees have serious criminal records, a substantial number do not fit the description of the "worst of the worst" criminals, as claimed by Dean Cain [8]. The Department of Homeland Security has stated that Cain is encouraging Americans to become "real-life superheroes" by joining ICE [9].
References: 1. https://www.cato.org/publications/immigration-border-security/ice-detention-practices-shift-away-worst-worst-claim 2. https://trac.syr.edu/immigration/reports/detention_bed_matrix/2025/07/27/ 3. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/01/us/politics/trump-immigration-raids.html 4. https://www.cato.org/publications/immigration-border-security/ice-detention-practices-shift-away-worst-worst-claim 5. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/03/01/trump-administration-arrests-surge-immigrants-without-criminal-records/ 6. https://www.ice.gov/careers/student-programs 7. https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/15/entertainment/dean-cain-ice-agent-trnd/index.html 8. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/dean-cain-former-superman-actor-joins-ice-n1199626 9. https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/dean-cain-superman-ice-agent-trump
- The surge in arrests and detentions of non-criminal immigration violators, as seen in ICE's practices since early 2025, is a significant policy-and-legislation shift in war-and-conflicts that could influence future crime-and-justice and general-news discussions.
- As some individuals detained by ICE have no criminal record, the recent immigration enforcement priorities, driven by the Trump administration's return to office, have sparked debates in politics about the effectiveness and morality of such policies.
