Fact Check: In fiscal year 2025, over 12,700 people booked into ICE custody had their most serious criminal conviction as a traffic offense.

Fact Check: "In fiscal year 2025, over 12,700 people booked into ICE custody had their most serious criminal conviction as a traffic offense."

What We Know

The claim states that in fiscal year 2025, more than 12,700 individuals booked into ICE custody had their most serious criminal conviction categorized as a traffic offense. As of now, fiscal year 2025 data is not fully available, as it runs from October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025. However, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has indicated that ICE's public reporting on detentions may not fully capture the total number of individuals detained, as ICE excludes certain individuals booked into temporary facilities before being transferred to immigration detention facilities. This exclusion could potentially amount to tens of thousands of individuals (GAO Report).

ICE's enforcement statistics indicate that arrests and detentions have fluctuated over the years, with a notable increase in arrests from 133,541 in 2019 to 154,204 in 2022 (ICE Statistics). However, specific data regarding the number of individuals with traffic offenses as their most serious conviction is not readily available in the current reports.

Analysis

The claim regarding the number of individuals with traffic offenses as their most serious conviction lacks direct evidence from the available sources. The GAO report highlights significant issues with ICE's reporting methodology, suggesting that the agency may not provide a complete picture of detentions (GAO Report). This raises concerns about the reliability of any specific figures reported by ICE, including those related to criminal convictions.

Moreover, while ICE does provide statistics on arrests and detentions, the specific breakdown of offenses—especially traffic-related convictions—may not be detailed in the publicly available data. The GAO has recommended that ICE improve its reporting practices to include all detentions and clarify its methodology, which indicates that the current data may not be comprehensive or fully transparent (GAO Report).

The claim's source, if it were to be substantiated, would need to rely on future data releases from ICE that specifically categorize the nature of criminal convictions among detainees. As of now, the absence of such detailed reporting means that the claim cannot be verified.

Conclusion

Needs Research: The claim that over 12,700 individuals booked into ICE custody in fiscal year 2025 had their most serious criminal conviction as a traffic offense cannot be substantiated with the current available data. The limitations in ICE's reporting practices and the lack of specific breakdowns regarding traffic offenses necessitate further investigation and future data releases to confirm or refute this claim.

Fact Check: In fiscal year 2025, over 12,700 people booked into ICE custody had their most serious criminal conviction as a traffic offense.