The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) refuted a
report broadcast by CBS News that claimed most undocumented immigrants arrested
during the Trump administration were not linked to violent crimes.
Journalist Camilo Montoya-Galvez reported that, according to
an internal DHS document, less than 14% of the nearly 400,000 immigrants
detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had been charged or
convicted of violent crimes. The report indicated that the majority of arrests
involved individuals with no prior criminal record.
In response, the DHS questioned the interpretation of the
figures and defended its immigration enforcement criteria. Department officials
argued that ICE's work is not limited exclusively to individuals convicted of
violent crimes, but also encompasses immigration violations and other offenses
covered by federal law. They also pointed out that the "violent
crime" classification does not necessarily reflect the full range of
factors considered when prioritizing operations and arrests.
The exchange reignites the debate about the federal
government's actions regarding immigration, which are strongly approved and
supported by citizens who voted for President Trump, and the way official data
is presented and contextualized by journalists who apparently do not understand
the numbers and their scope, or who seek to highlight unsubstantiated
information.