Newly released data from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) reveals a shocking surge in the number of illegal immigrants with serious criminal histories residing in the United States.
As of July 2024, ICE reported that 662,566 noncitizens with criminal backgrounds are currently on its national docket, with a disturbing 435,719 of them convicted criminals.
Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) made the data public just as Vice President Kamala Harris was preparing for her first significant visit to the southern border — a trip many view as an attempt to repair the administration’s damaged reputation on immigration.
Harris, who has been tasked with managing the administration’s border policies, faces growing pressure to explain why millions of illegal immigrants, including those with criminal records, have entered the country during her tenure.
ICE’s July report, detailed in a letter to Rep. Gonzales, provides an alarming breakdown of the criminal records of noncitizens within the U.S. Among the 662,566 noncitizens on ICE’s national docket, a staggering 435,719 have been convicted of crimes, while 226,847 face pending criminal charges.
The data shows the following convictions among illegal immigrants who are not currently detained due to Democrat-led sanctuary policies:
Arson: 792
Assault: 62,231
Burglary: 14,301
Dangerous Drugs: 56,533
Fraud: 15,979
Homicide: 13,099
Kidnapping: 2,521
Sexual Assault: 15,811
Weapon Offenses: 13,423
Gonzales, a vocal critic of the administration’s immigration policies, laid the blame for the disturbing numbers squarely at the feet of President Biden and Vice President Harris. He pointed to the administration’s failure to secure the border and enforce immigration laws as the primary reason for the influx of criminal aliens.
“The truth is clear — illegal immigrants with a criminal record are coming into our country,” Gonzales said in a statement.
“The data released by ICE is beyond disturbing, and it should be a wake-up call for the Biden-Harris administration and cities across the country that hide behind sanctuary policies. It’s time for Washington to move past rhetoric and toward results.”
“Americans deserve to feel safe in their communities,” he added. “As an Appropriator, I will do everything in my power to ensure ICE has the resources necessary to deport noncitizens with a criminal record—this must be a priority.
He added that the Biden administration bears responsibility for pushing sanctuary city policies, which allow dangerous individuals to remain on U.S. soil.
“The Biden-Harris administration also plays a part in cleaning up the mess their failed policies have created. They have the ear of sanctuary city mayors — it’s time to encourage them to reverse course and put the safety of American citizens first.”
Meanwhile, Harris visited the U.S.-Mexico border on Friday, attempting to project a tougher stance on illegal immigration while calling for further restrictions on asylum claims.
The timing of Harris’s visit, coinciding with the release of the damning ICE data, seems to suggest an effort to regain political ground on an issue where Republicans — particularly former President Donald Trump — have an advantage with voters.
Harris’s border visit came with a carefully crafted message that sought to balance her party’s advocacy for humane immigration policies with a promise to enhance border security.
“I reject the false choice that suggests we must choose either between securing our border and creating a system that is orderly, safe, and humane,” Harris said during the visit. “We can and we must do both.”
While Harris struck a more forceful tone on border security, her visit is likely to be viewed as too little, too late by critics.
Republicans have long lambasted her for spending little time addressing the border crisis, even though she has been tasked with leading the administration’s immigration efforts since 2021.
Former President Donald Trump, who has built much of his political platform around immigration and border security, continues to hammer the administration for its perceived failures.
In response, Harris sought to deflect criticism back onto Trump, accusing him of failing to overhaul the legal immigration and asylum systems during his presidency.
She pointed to a bipartisan immigration reform package that collapsed earlier this year, which she claims Trump sabotaged for political gain. “Donald Trump tanked it,” Harris said. “He prefers to run on a problem instead of fixing a problem.”
“And the American people deserve a president who cares more about border security than playing political games and their personal political future,” Harris concluded.
