Albert Sun examined data on hundreds of thousands of immigration arrests in newly available government records. The federal deployments that have swept through major cities as part of President Trump’s immigration crackdown have led to thousands of arrests. But they have been less effective at apprehending immigrants with a criminal record than more routine operations elsewhere, new data shows. In high-profile Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in Los Angeles; Chicago; Washington, D.C.; and across Massachusetts, more than half of those arrested had no criminal record, compared with a third of immigrants arrested nationwide. Note: Chart shows share of ICE arrests during periods of federal operation in each targeted area. The share of people with any past conviction includes those with a violent conviction. Based on data available through Oct. 15. The Trump administration has said that the aggressive operations are necessary because so-called sanctuary city policies have made it harder for ICE agents to go after immigrants who have committed crimes. It has deployed other federal forces, including Border Patrol and the National Guard, to expand its crackdown.
Published: December 4, 2025 8:22 pm
Source: The New York Times — Read original