According to federal data shared in a Wednesday letter from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), thousands of non-citizens, including those convicted of serious crimes such as homicide and sexual assault, are currently free in the U.S.
The information released to Republican Texas Rep. Tony Gonzales shows that as of July 21, over 662,566 non-citizens with criminal histories are on Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) national docket.
This figure includes both individuals detained by ICE and those on the agency’s non-detained docket, meaning they are not in custody and remain free within the country.
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Of those on the docket, 435,719 have been convicted of crimes, while another 226,847 face pending criminal charges.
Alarmingly, only 14,994 non-citizens with criminal convictions or pending charges are currently detained.
Among the non-detained individuals are 13,099 convicted of homicide, 15,811 convicted of sexual assault, and 14,301 convicted of burglary, along with many others convicted of serious offenses.
Despite challenges, ICE Deputy Director Patrick Lechleitner emphasized the agency’s efforts in enforcing the law, even within a “broken immigration system” and with limited resources.
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“We are removing and returning record numbers of migrants unable to establish a legal basis to remain in the United States, prioritizing those posing national security and public safety risks,” Lechleitner wrote.
The letter also highlighted the difficulties ICE faces in sanctuary cities, where local authorities refuse to honor ICE detainer requests for criminal non-citizens, further hindering the agency’s ability to carry out its duties.
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