The White House and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) are pushing back against media reports suggesting a significant increase in arrests of immigrants without criminal records in the United States. Citing "false narratives," administration officials contend that many individuals apprehended by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have extensive criminal histories abroad, including involvement in violent crimes and membership in international gangs.
Recent reports from The Washington Post and The New York Times indicated a surge in arrests of "noncriminal" undocumented immigrants. The Washington Post stated that ICE had detained more people without a criminal record in the current year than in all of 2025. The New York Times echoed this, reporting that ICE arrests are soaring as individuals without U.S. criminal records are increasingly targeted.
However, Lauren Bis, a special assistant to the president and White House spokeswoman, stated that while "nearly 70% of illegal aliens arrested by ICE have been convicted or charged with a crime in the United States," the actual number of arrests involving public safety threats and criminals is higher. Bis explained that many individuals categorized as "noncriminal" by the media have prior criminal histories in their home countries, which can include murder, child sex abuse, and gang activity.
According to DHS, the statistic of nearly 70% of ICE arrests having criminal convictions or pending charges in the U.S. does not encompass individuals wanted for violent crimes, INTERPOL notices, human rights abuses, or gang affiliations in other countries. The agency also noted that unlawful entry into the U.S. constitutes a crime.
Examples provided by DHS highlight cases where individuals without U.S. criminal records had serious offenses internationally. These include Salvadoran national Josue Saul Garcia-Lopez, identified as an active member of the terrorist organization MS-13 with a history of extortion and robbery in El Salvador. Another case involved Honduran national Fredy Alexander Lopez Lara, who had an international warrant for homicide in his home country.
Further instances cited include Salvadoran national Danny Granados-Garcia, arrested by ICE and wanted in his home country for murder; Mexican national Salvador Suazo-Garcia, wanted in Mexico for lewd and lascivious acts upon a child; and Mexican national Silvia Del Rosario Torres-Castro, who was wanted in Mexico for homicide. Additionally, Salvadoran national Antonio Israel Lazo-Quintanilla, a member of the 18th Street Gang, was on El Salvador’s most wanted list for aggravated homicide and other felonies, despite his only U.S. crime being driving without a license. Mexican brothers Pedro Luis Ortiz-Mendez and Jose Vicente Ortiz-Mendez were arrested in Texas and are wanted for multiple murders related to an attack in Mexico.
"These are just a few examples of murderers, gang members, and pedophiles the media refers to as ‘non-criminals’ because they only have criminal records in their home country," Bis said. She added, "From foreign fugitives, gang members, and terrorists, ICE is getting the worst of the worst off our streets and out of our country."