Fact Check: The letter—which six House Republicans sent to acting Immigrations and Customs Enforcement Director Todd Lyons—openly calls on ICE to redirect its deportation resources toward 'convicted criminal aliens' and away from undocumented immigrants who are not convicted criminals.

Published June 13, 2025

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VERDICT

Needs Research

# Fact Check: "The letter—which six House Republicans sent to acting Immigrations and Customs Enforcement Director Todd Lyons—openly calls on ICE to r...

Fact Check: "The letter—which six House Republicans sent to acting Immigrations and Customs Enforcement Director Todd Lyons—openly calls on ICE to redirect its deportation resources toward 'convicted criminal aliens' and away from undocumented immigrants who are not convicted criminals."

What We Know

The claim centers around a letter sent by six House Republicans to Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons, which reportedly urges ICE to prioritize the deportation of "convicted criminal aliens" over undocumented immigrants who have not committed crimes. This aligns with a broader Republican narrative advocating for stricter immigration enforcement focused on individuals with criminal records. According to The New Republic, the letter explicitly calls for ICE to redirect its resources accordingly. Additionally, The Hill mentions that the letter references a significant number of individuals with criminal charges on ICE's docket, suggesting a focus on those with violent crime histories.

Moreover, the letter's intent appears to be in response to concerns that ICE has been increasingly targeting non-violent undocumented immigrants, which some lawmakers argue diverts resources from more pressing public safety issues. A report from WRIC highlights that immigration enforcement officers have ramped up arrests of non-violent migrants, which has drawn criticism from various quarters.

Analysis

The evidence supporting the claim is found in multiple sources, including the letter itself, which has been referenced in several news articles. The letter's contents, as reported by The New Republic and The Hill, indicate a clear directive to ICE to focus on deporting individuals with criminal convictions. This is corroborated by statements from Congressman Tony Gonzales, who has expressed concerns about the current deportation practices and the need for prioritization of violent offenders (source-2).

However, the reliability of the sources varies. The New Republic and The Hill are established news outlets, but they may have editorial biases that could influence their framing of the issue. The context provided by these articles suggests a political motive behind the letter, as it aligns with the Republican agenda on immigration enforcement. Furthermore, the AP News article discusses ICE's broader enforcement tactics, which could provide additional context about the agency's operational priorities and challenges.

While the claim appears to be substantiated by the letter's existence and its reported contents, the implications of such a directive and its potential impact on immigration enforcement remain subjects of debate. Critics argue that focusing solely on convicted criminals could lead to the unjust targeting of non-violent immigrants, as highlighted in the letter's critique of current practices (source-1).

Conclusion

Needs Research. While the claim is supported by evidence from credible sources indicating that the letter does call for a shift in ICE's deportation priorities, the broader implications and the political context surrounding this directive require further investigation. The potential consequences of such a policy shift on immigrant communities and public safety need to be explored more comprehensively.

Sources

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