More than 425,000 migrants classified as criminals are currently free in the United States, according to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The agency provided national figures to Texas Republican Representative Tony Gonzales, detailing the status of illegal immigrants with criminal charges or convictions as of July 21 of this year.
The data is split between migrants who are incarcerated and those who are not. The non-detained category, which includes over 7 million individuals, comprises those with final deportation orders or those undergoing deportation proceedings but not in ICE custody.
Within this extensive group of non-detained individuals, 425,431 have been convicted of crimes and 222,141 face pending criminal charges. Among these, 62,231 were convicted of assault, 56,533 of drug offenses, 15,811 of sexual assault, 14,301 of robbery, and 2,521 of kidnapping.
Impact of Sanctuary Policies
In a statement released by Fox News, ICE criticized so-called sanctuary cities for their refusal to cooperate with federal law enforcement in deporting criminal illegal immigrants.
"ICE acknowledges that some jurisdictions are concerned that cooperating with federal immigration officials will erode trust within immigrant communities and make it harder for local law enforcement to serve these populations. However, 'sanctuary' policies can end up shielding dangerous criminals, who often victimize those very communities," the statement read.
Deportation Statistics
According to the document, from mid-May 2023 to the end of July 2024, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has repatriated over 893,600 individuals, including more than 138,300 in family units.
"The majority of all individuals encountered at the southwest border over the last three years have been expelled, returned, or removed," the report detailed.