Data Shows That A Majority Of Individuals Arrested By ICE In LA Have No Criminal History

As immigration raids escalate across Southern California, concerns grow over who is being targeted and detained. According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, over 1,600 people have been arrested in the region as of Sunday. The crackdown, which intensified on June 6, has seen Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents carry out widespread arrests, raising questions about how many of those apprehended actually have criminal records.

ICE data shows that as of June 15, there are 56,397 immigrants in custody nationwide, with 46% of them having no criminal history at the time of arrest. In the Los Angeles area alone, 722 arrests were made in the first 10 days of June. Of those arrested, only 221 individuals (about 30%) had prior criminal convictions, while 84 people (11.6%) had pending charges. The majority—417 people or 57%—had no criminal background.

The demographic breakdown of those arrested indicates that 82% are men, with nearly half (48%) from Mexico, 15.5% from Guatemala, and nearly 8% from El Salvador. These figures suggest a disproportionate impact on Latin American communities.

President Donald Trump’s administration has taken a noticeably more aggressive stance in recent weeks. Not only have federal agents conducted workplace raids, but the president has also deployed the National Guard and Marines in response to public protests against the immigration arrests. The increased visibility of military presence in civilian spaces has amplified fear and tension in immigrant communities.

This surge in arrests and militarized enforcement has drawn sharp criticism from immigration advocates, who argue that detaining people without criminal histories reflects an overly punitive and indiscriminate policy approach. Still, federal officials maintain the operations are focused on enforcing existing immigration laws.

As the raids continue, data from the Deportation Data Project and ICE reveal a troubling trend: a majority of those being detained pose no known public safety threat, challenging the justification behind such high-profile and high-volume enforcement actions. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Link: ABC7