The White House and Department of Homeland Security are challenging claims by mainstream media regarding ICE’s arrests of noncriminal illegal immigrants. Reports from the Washington Post and New York Times suggested a surge in noncriminal ICE arrests under President Donald Trump.

Media Reports on ICE Arrests

The Washington Post stated that ICE is detaining many noncriminal illegal immigrants, suggesting more people without criminal records have been detained this year compared to all of 2025. The New York Times echoed this, noting ICE increasingly targets individuals with no criminal record.

White House and DHS Response

Lauren Bis, a White House spokeswoman, addressed these claims on Fox News Digital. She emphasized that nearly 70% of illegal aliens arrested by ICE have U.S. criminal convictions or charges. She pointed out that many still possess criminal records from their home country, including serious offenses like murder and child sex abuse.

Bis questioned why the mainstream media protects criminal illegal aliens and misrepresents those arrested by ICE.

Facts from the Department of Homeland Security

DHS highlighted that 70% of illegal aliens arrested by ICE have criminal backgrounds in the U.S. This statistic doesn’t include individuals wanted for crimes in other countries or subject to INTERPOL notices.

Entering the U.S. unlawfully is a crime, and those considered noncriminal arrests have faced severe charges elsewhere. For example, Salvadoran Josue Saul Garcia-Lopez, despite no U.S. criminal record, was wanted internationally for his ties to MS-13 terrorism.

Recent High-Profile Arrests

ICE arrested several individuals with serious criminal records in their home countries. Fredy Alexander Lopez Lara, a Honduran with a homicide warrant, and MS-13 member Danny Granados-Garcia, wanted for killing a pastor, were among those detained. Another arrest involved Mexican national Salvador Suazo-Garcia, who had charges for child abuse.

Mexican brothers Pedro Luis and Jose Vicente Ortiz-Mendez, along with Salvadoran Antonio Israel Lazo-Quintanilla, were arrested for multiple felonies. Lazo-Quintanilla was involved in gang activity with the 18th Street Gang.

Conclusion

Bis stated these individuals are wrongly labeled as noncriminals by the media due to foreign rather than U.S. criminal records. She stressed the importance of ICE’s work to remove dangerous elements from communities.