Trump Rejects CBS Claim ‘Very Few’ Illegals Arrested Have Violent Records
The Department of Homeland Security is forcefully challenging a report from CBS that suggested most illegal immigrants arrested during the administration of Donald J. Trump were not responsible for “violent criminal offenses.” Officials argue the report downplayed serious crimes and distorted the broader public-safety picture behind federal immigration enforcement.
The controversy began after CBS reporter Camilo Montoya-Galvez cited an internal DHS document indicating that fewer than 14% of nearly 400,000 individuals arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement were charged with or convicted of violent crimes. The statistic was presented alongside President Trump’s longstanding pledge to focus enforcement efforts on “the worst of the worst,” a core tenet of his immigration agenda.
DHS leadership quickly rejected the framing. Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said the article ignored how certain serious offenses were categorized as “non-violent,” potentially misleading the public. She also reiterated the administration’s consistent legal position that illegal entry into the United States itself constitutes a criminal violation.
“Drug trafficking, Distribution of child pornography, burglary, fraud, DUI, embezzlement, solicitation of a minor, human smuggling are all categorized as ‘non violent crimes.’ Like we said, ~70% of those illegal aliens arrested under @POTUS Trump and @Sec_Noem have pending criminal charges or prior convictions,” McLaughlin wrote on X.
In a separate post, McLaughlin highlighted a specific case she argued demonstrated flaws in the “non-criminal” classification. “By @cbs’s standard, Edward Hernandez, who @ICEgov arrested last week in Virginia is a ‘non criminal’ because he hasn’t been convicted in the United States. Never mind that he is an MS-13 member & confessed to murdering 5 people in El Salvador through shooting, torturing, stabbing, and dismemberment (including one victim who was alive.)” The reference to MS-13 underscored DHS’s argument that dangerous offenders could be mischaracterized by narrow definitions.
The official ICE X account also fired back, emphasizing that many detainees classified as “non-violent” still faced serious criminal allegations. “Here’s a more accurate headline, CBS. Nearly 70% of criminal aliens detained by ICE have pending charges or prior convictions. So-called ‘non-violent’ offenders include individuals charged with drug trafficking, distribution of child pornography, burglary, fraud, DUI, embezzlement, solicitation of a minor, human smuggling, and more. Labeling these offenses as ‘non-violent’ does not mean they aren’t threats to public safety,” the post read.
Homeland Security’s official X account further noted that some illegal immigrants categorized as “non-violent” in the report had been charged or convicted of violent crimes outside the United States — details that critics argue were largely absent from the CBS headline.
Even within the CBS article, data acknowledged that “nearly 60% of ICE arrestees over the past year had criminal charges or convictions,” including offenses such as DUI, kidnapping, and arson. The remaining 40% were described as being “accused of civil immigration offenses.” According to coverage from Fox News, the internal document referenced approximately 393,000 arrests between Jan. 21, 2025, and Jan. 31 of this year.
Meanwhile, federal immigration enforcement actions have intensified nationwide. Authorities have begun taking legal action against civilians accused of interfering with operations, including a recent incident in Minneapolis that drew national attention. In that case, 42-year-old Becky Ringstrom was detained after following federal immigration officers through a suburban neighborhood. According to bystander video verified by Reuters, unmarked vehicles surrounded her car before masked agents took her into custody.
Ringstrom was transported to the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building and cited under Title 18, Section 111 of the U.S. Code, which criminalizes forcibly assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, or intimidating a federal officer. The statute can be prosecuted as either a misdemeanor or a felony, with penalties of up to 20 years in prison in cases involving weapons or injuries. Court documents indicate she was later released pending further proceedings.
As the debate over immigration enforcement intensifies, DHS officials say the American public deserves full context — not selectively framed statistics — when evaluating policies designed to protect national sovereignty and public safety. Supporters of President Trump argue that the administration’s enforcement strategy reflects constitutional priorities, respect for the rule of law, and a commitment to safeguarding American communities from both violent offenders and broader criminal networks.