Undocumented immigrants arrested by the Trump administration surpass 300,000 marks since January; "the era of freedom is behind us"
In recent news, the Trump administration has been making headlines for its continued anti-immigration policies. Here's a closer look at the facts surrounding the administration's mass arrests of undocumented migrants.
President Trump has reinforced the mandate of agencies such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and promoted an increase in arrests to fulfill his promise of carrying out a historic mass deportation campaign of undocumented individuals. According to the White House, these arrests are aimed at eliminating dangerous threats to public security in U.S. communities and returning these individuals to their countries of origin.
However, a closer examination of the data reveals a different picture. While ICE arrests of undocumented immigrants increased substantially under Trump’s second administration, only a minority of those arrested had violent crime convictions. According to independent data and advocacy analysis, only about 7% of those arrested were convicted of violent crimes, while 65% had never been convicted of any crime. Thus, the mass arrests were not exclusively or even predominantly of individuals with prior convictions.
The administration’s enforcement expanded to include people who were following immigration court procedures or legally eligible for certain immigration benefits, bypassing due process by expedited removal. On the state level, arrests increased dramatically—with reports such as arrests tripling or more in states like South Carolina, Michigan, Minnesota, Colorado, Wyoming, Ohio, and Nevada—though these include people with varying criminal backgrounds, not exclusively those convicted.
DHS statistics touted a large drop in the undocumented population mainly due to voluntary departures supported by government incentives for self-deportation, rather than solely forced arrests and deportations. Other reports indicate the administration’s policies created more undocumented individuals by ending humanitarian and protected status programs, suggesting enforcement was broader and not limited to prior offenders.
At the U.S.-Mexico border, the number of border encounters recorded by U.S. Customs and Border Protection in July is the lowest monthly number on record. In July 2025, only 4,601 detentions were made along the southwest border, marking a 24% decrease from the previous historic low in June and a 92% decrease from a year ago. However, it's worth noting that there were no releases under conditional release or 'parole' last month at the U.S.-Mexico border, compared to the 12,365 releases recorded in July 2024.
In conclusion, while ICE arrests surged and the administration emphasized targeting criminals, most arrested undocumented migrants in early 2025 did not have prior convictions, and enforcement included many without criminal records. The characterization of mass arrests focusing mainly on documented criminals is therefore overstated and does not align with independent data and advocacy analysis.
- The administration's mass arrests of undocumented immigrants, contrary to White House claims, were not predominantly of individuals with prior convictions, with only about 7% having been convicted of violent crimes, and 65% having no criminal record at all.
- In states across the nation, arrests increased significantly, affecting not only individuals with criminal backgrounds but also those following immigration court procedures or legally eligible for certain immigration benefits.
