Oh, the wailing from the left never stops, does it? They’re out there screeching that President Trump’s administration is rounding up sweet, innocent illegal aliens who wouldn’t hurt a fly—moms with babies, hardworking folks just chasing the American dream they stole their way into. Meanwhile, the White House fires back that over 70% of the illegals they’re targeting are stone-cold criminals. Who’s right? Who’s lying? Let’s cut through the nonsense with some hard facts, because unlike the open-borders crowd, I believe in truth over tears.
The Administration’s Claim: 70% Criminals, No Apologies
Straight from the horse’s mouth in late 2025 reports: 70% of ICE arrests snag illegal aliens who’ve been convicted of crimes or have charges pending right here in the U.S. That’s not some fuzzy estimate—it’s the number DHS has been touting since October 27, 2025, when they announced over half a million removals. By December, that total ballooned to more than 2.5 million illegals shown the door in 2025 alone. And guess what? A huge chunk of those arrests zero in on the worst scum: murderers, rapists, child predators, drug traffickers, gangbangers, and human smugglers. ICE unveiled their “worst of the worst” list on December 23, 2025, highlighting arrests of over 17,500 with serious crimes like homicide and child sexual assault. If that’s not prioritizing danger, what is?
The left wants you to think Trump’s stormtroopers are kicking down doors for jaywalkers. Wrong. Enforcement kicked into high gear after January 20, 2025, with arrests climbing nearly 40% by September 10, 2025, and convicted criminal grabs up 20% from the previous year. We’re talking 30,473 convicted crooks nabbed in the first 100 days alone. This isn’t random—it’s targeted, surgical removal of threats to American families.
The Left’s Sob Story: Non-Dangerous Victims Everywhere
Of course, the bleeding hearts clutch their pearls and claim most deportees are harmless nobodies. They’ve got data scraps showing that as of November 30, 2025, about 73.6% of those in ICE detention—48,377 out of 65,735—have no criminal convictions. By December 14, 2025, detention hit a record 68,400, and reports from December 10, 2025, peg about a third of arrests with no criminal record, meaning two-thirds do have one. Wait, that actually lines up pretty close to the 70% mark if you include pending charges.
But here’s where the left twists the knife: They fixate on “no convictions,” ignoring that many of these so-called innocents face pending charges—serious ones like assault, robbery, or even worse. And detention stats aren’t the same as arrest or removal breakdowns. By November 2025, data showed 70% of deportations from ICE custody involved no convictions, but again, that skips the charged crowd. The share of arrested illegals with violent convictions dipped to under 5% by October 2025, down from 9% in January. Boo-hoo—does that mean we’re supposed to let fentanyl pushers and thieves roam free because their rap sheet isn’t “violent” enough?
News flash: Being here illegally is a crime in itself. These non-convicted types aren’t baking cookies; many are repeat border-jumpers or visa overstayers gaming the system. And with sanctuary cities releasing killers back onto streets—like that murderer in Fairfax County, Virginia, freed on December 2025 despite an ICE detainer—the administration has no choice but to sweep wider.
The Real Numbers: Mass Removals, Criminal Focus
Let’s crunch the digits without the spin. Fiscal Year 2025, ending September 30, 2025, saw ICE arrests soar, with breakdowns showing convicted criminals making up around 51% under the prior regime, but jumping under Trump. By mid-November 2025, detention stats had 16,523 no-record detainees versus 15,725 with records—nearly a 50-50 split. But arrests tell the targeting tale: Official tallies from July 2025 onward emphasize criminal programs nabbing over 1,000 a day, with 70% fitting the criminal bill.
Removals? Over 500,000 by October 27, 2025, ballooning to 2.5 million by year’s end. Of early figures, 36.2% were convicted, 12.8% pending charges—totaling nearly half criminals. The rest? Non-criminals, sure, but that’s the point of mass deportation: Get them all out before they become criminals. Remember, between FY 2021 and 2023, ICE removed 158,931 with convictions or charges—proof this isn’t new, just ramped up.
And the incentives? DHS even dangled a $3,000 holiday stipend in December 2025 for voluntary departures. If you’re not a crook, why not take the cash and go? But no, the left prefers chaos.
The Truth: Criminals Are the Priority, But Everyone’s Fair Game
Bottom line? The administration’s 70% claim holds water for arrests, where the focus is on convicted and charged threats. Yes, deportations scoop up non-criminals too—about 70% without convictions in some November 2025 slices—but that’s because Trump’s America First agenda means no more free rides. The left’s “non-dangerous” label is a joke; illegal entry breeds danger, from strained resources to actual crimes waiting to happen.
If the whiners want sympathy, they can find it in the dictionary between “sanctuary” and “stupidity.” Trump’s team is making America safe by booting the bad guys first, but ultimately, all illegals gotta go. That’s not targeting innocents—it’s enforcing the law the left loves to ignore.