Fact Check: Less than 10% of immigrants in ICE custody have serious criminal convictions.

Fact Check: "Less than 10% of immigrants in ICE custody have serious criminal convictions."

What We Know

Recent reports indicate that a significant majority of immigrants taken into Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody do not have serious criminal convictions. According to internal documents obtained by CNN, less than 10% of immigrants booked into ICE custody since October 2024 were convicted of serious crimes such as murder, assault, robbery, or rape. The data revealed that over 75% of those detained had no criminal convictions other than immigration or minor traffic-related offenses (CNN). This aligns with public ICE data, which also shows that most immigrants currently in custody lack prior criminal convictions (ICE Statistics).

Analysis

The claim that less than 10% of immigrants in ICE custody have serious criminal convictions is supported by multiple sources. The internal data reviewed by CNN, which encompasses over 185,000 immigrants, shows that the vast majority were not convicted of serious crimes (CNN). This data is critical as it provides a comprehensive overview of the immigrant population in ICE custody, contrasting sharply with public narratives that often emphasize the detention of serious criminals.

However, it is important to consider the reliability of the sources. CNN, a well-established news organization, has a history of investigative reporting and has been transparent about the data sources used in their analysis. The data from ICE is also considered credible, as it comes directly from government records. Nevertheless, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has challenged some interpretations of this data, suggesting that ICE focuses on "the worst of the worst" (CNN). This discrepancy highlights the potential for bias in how data is presented and interpreted by different stakeholders.

Additionally, a report from CBS News indicates that nearly half of those currently detained by ICE lack any criminal record, further supporting the claim that a significant portion of detainees do not have serious convictions (CBS News). This corroborates the findings from CNN and reinforces the assertion that the narrative surrounding immigrant criminality may be overstated.

Conclusion

The claim that less than 10% of immigrants in ICE custody have serious criminal convictions is True. The evidence from multiple credible sources, including internal ICE data and reports from established news organizations, consistently supports this assertion. The overwhelming majority of immigrants in ICE custody do not have serious criminal backgrounds, which contradicts the narrative often portrayed in political discourse.

Fact Check: Less than 10% of immigrants in ICE custody have serious criminal convictions.