The Guardian reported on September 26, 2025, that immigrants with no criminal record have become the largest single group held in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention. [1] Citing official government data, the report shows 16,523 detainees have no prior record. [1] This figure now surpasses the 15,725 detainees with a criminal record and the 13,767 who have charges pending. [1] The data marks the first time under the second Trump administration that this demographic has outnumbered those with convictions or pending charges. [1]
This shift means individuals with no criminal history make up the majority of those arrested by ICE, as opposed to those brought in by border officials. [1] The total number of people in ICE detention is currently 59,762. [1, 2] Since January 2025, the number of detainees with no criminal history has surged, a change from when they represented a small fraction of the total. [1] The source material did not detail the specific reasons for this trend. Future data releases will be needed to show if this change in detention demographics continues.
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