Internal Department of Homeland Security data shows that fewer than one in seven people arrested by ICE during President Donald Trump’s first year back in office had charges or convictions for violent offenses. This statistic contradicts the administration’s repeated claim that it focuses only on “the worst of the worst.”
The previously undisclosed DHS document reviewed by CBS said ICE made 392,619 arrests from January 21, 2025, Trump’s first full day back in office, through January 31, 2026. Of these arrests, 13.9% involved individuals with charges or convictions for violent criminal offenses, CBS reported.
The same DHS data reveals that 42% of those arrests involved people with no prior criminal charges or convictions. Nearly 40% were cited only for civil immigration violations, such as being in the U.S. illegally. About 11,000 individuals were booked on allegations that included interfering with ICE operations, CBS reported.
These numbers provide further insight into recent signs that the agency’s detention system has grown quickly. CBS reported in January that ICE’s detainee population surpassed 70,000 for the first time in the agency’s 23-year history, based on internal DHS figures. Separate public data compiled by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse at Syracuse University shows that 74.2% of people in ICE detention as of January 25, 2026, had no criminal conviction, according to TRAC’s tracking of detention statistics.
The CBS report mentioned that the DHS document classifies arrests into categories, including violent criminal charges or convictions, other criminal allegations, and civil immigration violations. It also reveals that homicide-related cases made up a small portion of arrests, and that most individuals with criminal entries in the data were listed for nonviolent offenses.
The Trump administration has publicly focused on arrests of serious offenders. DHS has issued press releases highlighting operations that it claims targeted people accused or convicted of serious crimes such as sexual abuse, homicide, and aggravated assault, calling them “the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens.”
DHS has also challenged outside interpretations of ICE arrest and detention statistics. FactCheck.org reported in late January that DHS criticized analyses based on leaked or incomplete datasets. The agency contended that it prioritizes enforcement against individuals who pose public safety threats, even as the overall detained population includes many with no U.S. criminal convictions.
The CBS figures have gained attention in political debates since they show how often ICE arrests involve people without criminal histories. Supporters of the administration’s approach argue that civil immigration violations still justify arrest and removal under federal law. Critics say the internal data demonstrate that enforcement actions extend well beyond violent offenders and into the larger undocumented community, including families and long-term residents.
The Guardian reported on Monday that Tom Homan, the administration’s “border czar,” previously warned that deportations should remain focused to maintain public support. He also acknowledged that the administration supports “collateral” arrests that happen during operations aimed at specific individuals.
The CBS document discusses arrests, not final deportations, and does not clarify how many people ultimately receive removal orders, are released, or pursue legal claims in immigration court. CBS stated that the data tracks enforcement actions over a year in which the administration expanded arrests and detention capacity while justifying its approach as a public safety measure.
