ICE data: At least 662,566 criminal foreign nationals are currently in the U.S. – that they know of

10/02/2024 / By Laura Harris

The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) national docket list has revealed that at least 662,566 criminal foreign nationals currently identified for deportation are living freely across the country.

This revelation was made by Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-San Antonio), who requested data on illegal immigrants currently on ICE’s national docket list in a letter addressed to President Joe Biden and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

ICE Deputy Director Patrick Lechleitner responded on Sept. 26, confirming that 662, 566 noncitizens with criminal histories are currently in the United States.

Of these, 435,719 have been convicted of crimes, while 226,847 face pending criminal charges. Notably, Lechleitner also disclosed that the roster includes 14,914 individuals convicted of or charged with homicide, 20,061 for sexual assault and 105,146 for assault. In addition, 3,372 are involved in kidnapping cases and 3,971 are implicated in commercialized sexual offenses, including human trafficking.

The data also points to 60,268 criminal foreign nationals charged with burglary, larceny or robbery; 126,343 for traffic offenses, including driving under the influence; and 16,280 for weapons offenses. (Related: NYPD: Illegal immigrants account for more than half of all arrests in New York City.)

According to Lechleitner, Border Patrol agents handed over these illegal foreign nationals to ICE despite their documented criminal histories. Lechleitner clarified that many of these individuals have been released into U.S. communities due to limited cooperation from some local jurisdictions. Additionally, Lechleitner revealed that since Oct. 2020, certain localities, citing “sanctuary city” policies, have reduced their cooperation with ICE, including declining to honor ICE detainer requests for noncitizens convicted of serious felonies.

This, in turn, led to ICE lifting detainers for 24,796 individuals with criminal records. Out of these numbers, 23,591 detainer requests were refused by state and local law enforcement agencies and 1,205 were lifted due to insufficient notice to ICE. In this same period, 2,897 detainees were declined even after individuals were re-apprehended by ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations.

Furthermore, Lechleitner stressed that while noncitizens convicted of homicide are typically ineligible for release under the Immigration and Nationality Act, ICE officers retain discretion in determining custody conditions. In short, ICE officers are releasing some individuals on a case-to-case basis with conditions attached.

Gonzales: Biden-Harris border crisis poses direct threat to Americans

Gonzales blamed this alarming data on the open borders policies of the administration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

“We’ve known for far too long that the Biden-Harris border crisis poses a direct threat to Americans,” said Gonzales. “The truth is clear – illegal immigrants with a criminal record are coming into our country. The data released by ICE is beyond disturbing, and it should be a wake-up call for the Biden-Harris administration and cities across the country that hide behind sanctuary policies.”

“It’s time for Washington to move past rhetoric and toward results. Americans deserve to feel safe in their communities. As an Appropriator, I will do everything in my power to ensure ICE has the resources necessary to deport noncitizens with a criminal record – this must be a priority,” continued Gonzales. “The Biden-Harris administration also plays a part in cleaning up the mess their failed policies have created. They have the ear of sanctuary city mayors – it’s time to encourage them to reverse course and put the safety of American citizens first.”

House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Mark Green (R-TN) also criticized the Biden administration for releasing tens of thousands of illegal immigrants with criminal convictions and pending charges in the U.S. communities.

“This defies all common sense. Under President Biden and his ‘border czar,’ Vice President Harris, DHS law enforcement has been directed to mass-release illegal aliens whom they know have criminal convictions or are facing charges for serious crimes – and these dangerous, destructive individuals are making their way into every city and state in this country. How many more Americans need to die or be victimized before this administration is forced to abide by the laws they swore to uphold? This is madness. It is something no civilized, well-functioning society should tolerate,” Green stated.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott echoed a similar statement and called the released figures “shocking.”

“If accurate, it means that almost 10 percent” of the criminal illegal foreign nationals released into the country by the Biden-Harris administration “are criminals. It also debunks the narrative that illegal immigrants are less likely to commit crime. We can’t survive four more years of this,” Abbott warned.

Visit Migrants.news for more stories about migrant crisis in the United States.

Watch this video discussing California’s plan to provide illegal immigrant homebuyers with $150,000 in down payment assistance.

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