ICE Arrests Under Trump: One-Third Had No Criminal History, Raising Concerns Over Enforcement Tactics
December 8, 2025
ICE data show that in the first nine months of the Trump era, more than a third of about 220,000 arrests involved individuals with no prior criminal history, totaling around 75,000 people.
Overall, roughly 220,000 people were taken into ICE custody in that period, with more than a third having no criminal history, challenging the claim that enforcement targeted only the most dangerous offenders.
The report explores legal and policy context, along with criticisms of enforcement practices and responses from law enforcement, immigration lawyers, and protesters.
Ongoing coverage points to ICE operations in multiple cities and potential impacts on migrants and incidents during raids across places like Minneapolis, New Orleans, and Charlotte.
Border Patrol’s role expanded under the Trump administration, with detainees dispersed nationwide and debates about the scope and tactics of enforcement.
Border Patrol arrests are not included in these figures, leaving the full scope of arrests across DHS unclear.
Experts highlight the messaging-data gap, with analysts noting contradictions between public statements and the underlying data.
Detentions of U.S. citizens and allegations of racial profiling surface in discussions of enforcement practices.
Data shows large-scale deployments under names like Midway Blitz and Patriot 2.0, involving ICE, Border Patrol, and National Guard in urban areas, with an uptick after a Supreme Court ruling allowed race/ethnicity as a factor, though officials cited sanctuary-city policies.
The broader impact includes labor concerns from industry groups due to the crackdown, with uncertainty about deportations; about 22,959 left via voluntary departure and around 65,000 detained, while Border Patrol figures are not in the released data.
Policy analysts and media coverage frame the significance of arrest demographics versus stated goals, shaping public debate.
Summary based on 5 sources
Get a daily email with more US News stories
Sources

NBC News • Dec 7, 2025
ICE has arrested nearly 75,000 people with no criminal records, data shows
iHeart • Dec 8, 2025
Total Number Of ICE Arrests Under Trump With No Criminal Records Revealed
Colombia One: News from Colombia and the World • Dec 8, 2025
ICE Has Arrested Nearly 75,000 People With No Criminal Record Under Trump