Fact Check: "Trump has deported mostly immigrants with no criminal record"
What We Know
President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed that his administration is focused on deporting "the worst of the worst" among undocumented immigrants, specifically targeting violent criminals. However, data from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) reveals a different reality. As of June 2025, approximately 71.7% of individuals detained by ICE had no criminal convictions, while a significant portion of those who did have convictions were not guilty of violent crimes (AP News).
In a detailed analysis, it was found that 65% of over 204,000 individuals processed by ICE since the start of fiscal year 2025 had no criminal convictions (Washington Post). Furthermore, only 6.9% of those with convictions had committed violent crimes, while the majority were involved in nonviolent offenses such as immigration violations and traffic offenses (Cato Institute).
Analysis
The claim that Trump has deported mostly immigrants with no criminal record is supported by multiple credible sources. The data indicates a clear trend: as arrests have increased, the proportion of detainees with criminal convictions has decreased. For instance, the percentage of detainees with convictions dropped from 46% in January to 30% by June 2025 (Washington Post).
While the Trump administration, including officials like DHS Secretary Kristi L. Noem, has asserted that ICE targets serious criminals, the statistics suggest otherwise. A significant number of those arrested are individuals without any criminal history, contradicting the administration's narrative (CBS News).
Critics, including experts from the UCLA Law School’s Center for Immigration Law and Policy, argue that the administration's rhetoric about targeting dangerous individuals is misleading. They highlight the disconnect between the administration's claims and the actual data, which shows that the majority of those detained do not pose a threat (AP News).
Conclusion
The evidence clearly supports the claim that Trump has deported mostly immigrants with no criminal record. Data from multiple reputable sources indicates that a substantial majority of those detained by ICE lack criminal convictions, which contradicts the administration's assertions of targeting only violent offenders. Therefore, the verdict is True.
Sources
- Trump says he's deporting 'worst of the worst.' Data tells a different story.
- ICE increasingly targeting undocumented migrants with no criminal record
- Despite vow to remove the worst offenders, ICE data shows many undocumented immigrants without violent criminal records
- Majority of people arrested in U.S. immigration raids have no criminal convictions
- Contextualizing claim that 72% of people ICE detained under Trump had no criminal record
- Americans largely oppose Trump's ramp-up of deportations
- ICE data shows 72% of people detained have no criminal convictions
