A top official at the Department of Homeland Security is pushing back hard against media claims that Immigration and Customs Enforcement is targeting non-criminal illegal aliens.
The agency says the real story is being twisted — and that the facts tell a very different tale.
Key Facts:
- DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin publicly challenged media narratives that ICE is targeting non-criminals.
- Recent ICE data shows 70–71% of arrests involve illegal aliens with criminal convictions or pending charges.
- Media outlets like NPR, CBS News, and the Cato Institute claim more ICE arrests involve individuals with no other crimes.
- DHS argues many “non-criminals” are actually threats like gang members or terrorists without U.S. convictions.
- Border czar Tom Homan reaffirmed that ICE agents are enforcing the law against all illegal aliens found during operations.
The Rest of The Story:
Media outlets have been increasingly critical of ICE’s enforcement strategy under the Trump administration, claiming it’s targeting illegal aliens without serious criminal records.
CBS host Major Garrett suggested that many detainees “are not criminals,” stating, “They are here illegally, which is a crime. But they don’t have other felonies.”
In response, Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin called this framing “deceptive” and “false,” pointing to internal data showing that roughly 70% of recent arrests involved individuals with convictions or pending criminal charges.
Although new data from June highlights a rise in those labeled “other immigration violators,” DHS believes this term is being misrepresented by the press.
ICE’s internal definition of a “non-criminal” excludes those with active charges or known U.S. convictions, but McLaughlin argues that this definition doesn’t account for serious risks posed by people with no U.S. criminal record.
“Many illegal aliens categorized as ‘non-criminals’ are actually terrorists, human rights abusers, gang members, and more — they just don’t have a rap sheet in the U.S.,” she told Blaze News.
Tom Homan, the administration’s border czar, emphasized that ICE is following the law and focusing on public threats, but that all illegal aliens encountered during enforcement actions will be arrested.
Commentary:
This battle over definitions is more than just a war of words — it’s a battle for truth in reporting.
Once again, legacy media is spinning the numbers to fit a narrative that undermines law enforcement and public safety.
The fact is, entering the U.S. illegally is a crime.
Yet the media seems determined to draw a distinction between “real” criminals and those who broke immigration law, as if some laws are optional.
When DHS officials say 70% of those arrested have criminal convictions or pending charges, that should carry weight.
But too many journalists are cherry-picking data to suggest ICE is rounding up harmless people. That’s not only dishonest — it’s dangerous.
The media’s so-called “non-criminals” may include gang members, drug traffickers, or foreign nationals with ties to hostile organizations.
Just because they haven’t been caught in the U.S. doesn’t mean they’re innocent.
Secretary McLaughlin and Tom Homan are right to call this out.
Americans deserve accurate reporting, not clever word games that obscure the risk.
ICE agents have a tough job, and they shouldn’t be demonized for enforcing laws Congress put in place.
The agenda here is obvious: turn public opinion against enforcement by painting illegal immigrants as victims.
But the truth doesn’t back it up. What does back it up? The data — if you’re willing to read it in full.
The media is free to criticize the government, but it shouldn’t be free to lie.
And calling known lawbreakers “non-criminals” because their charges aren’t felonies yet? That’s a lie by omission.
The Bottom Line:
The Trump administration is pushing back hard against claims that ICE is targeting innocent people.
With most arrests involving individuals with criminal histories, DHS says the media is misinforming the public.
When even national security threats are labeled as “non-criminals” by the press, it’s clear the narrative has strayed from the facts.
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