According to a Pew Research report, recent data from ICE revealed the overwhelming majority of all arrests made by ICE agents in FY 2017 were of “criminal” arrestees -- illegal aliens with prior criminal convictions. In just eight years, the overall number of ICE criminal arrests jumped from 39% in FY 2009 to a staggering 74% in FY 2017.
These arrests were most highly concentrated in the Los Angeles area, at 88% and least concentrated in the Newark area, at 60%.
Over the course of eight years, the number of “non-criminal” arrests -- illegal aliens without prior criminal convictions -- dropped dramatically from 61% in FY 2009 to 26 % in FY 2017. Of those non-criminal arrestees, 16% had pending criminal charges, leaving only 11% with no known previous criminal convictions or charges.
During Pres. Obama’s presidency, from 2009 to 2017, the total number ICE arrests dropped from 297,898 to 143,470. But, Pres. Trump’s first year in office saw a dramatic upsurge of 30% in the overall number of ICE arrests, with a 149% increase in non-criminal arrests and a 12% increase in criminal arrests. The majority of the increase occurred after Pres. Trump passed EO 13768, Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States.
The Dallas area, with 16,520 overall arrests last year -- more total arrests than any other region in the U.S that year -- had a 156% increase in non-criminal arrests and a 61% increase in criminal arrests. The Houston area, despite a 6% decrease in criminal arrests, ranked second-highest in total arrests, with 13,565 overall arrests -- a 174% jump in non-criminal arrests.
Though the surge in ICE arrests was primarily due more “non-criminal” arrests (200% or higher in half of the ICE areas), the overwhelming majority of of illegal aliens arrested in FY 2017 had prior criminal convictions.
