Despite earlier promises to target only immigrants with criminal records, the Trump administration has drastically shifted course. As of June 1, official figures show that more than 7,700 individuals currently held by ICE have no prior convictions.
Tom Homan, a central figure in Donald Trump’s immigration policy, acknowledged that many people apprehended by immigration authorities have no criminal background.
In an interview with MSNBC, he confirmed that ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) is not solely targeting individuals with criminal records.
“No, of course not,” Homan replied when asked if all arrested migrants had criminal histories.
This admission has fueled growing criticism of the Trump administration, which is accused of conducting broad-scale operations against immigrants, including those who are legally present or in the process of regularization.
Homan defended the strategy, citing the challenges posed by so-called “sanctuary cities,” where cooperation with federal authorities is limited. He explained that in such jurisdictions, ICE is often forced to operate outside of detention facilities. “When we can’t intervene in jails, we operate in the streets. And in those situations, others may get swept up as well,” he said.
ICE has also shifted tactics by conducting enforcement actions inside immigration court facilities. Numerous individuals attending routine appointments have been arrested. These practices have been condemned by immigrant rights organizations and local officials, who view them as intimidation tactics. Some critics have even compared ICE’s operations to methods used by the Nazis.
The policy is particularly denounced by migrant rights advocates. Aaron Reichlin-Melnick of the American Immigration Council emphasized that ICE is also targeting individuals actively engaged in legal proceedings. He argues that the actions are designed to bypass traditional judicial processes in favor of expedited deportations.
“This strategy clearly shows that ICE’s objective is not limited to arresting individuals with criminal backgrounds. On the contrary, they appear to be becoming less of a priority,” he wrote on X, according to The New Republic.
Homan, for his part, stands by a logic of “guilt by association”: according to his statements, anyone found to be in the country illegally and present during an enforcement operation can be arrested, even if they were not the initial target.
These increasingly controversial practices highlight a broader trend in current immigration policy—widespread arrests that go beyond criteria of public safety, aimed at maximizing deportations.
