Tens of Thousands of Illegal Immigrants with Sexual Assault and Murder Convictions Roaming U.S. Streets – Report

New data from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has revealed that tens of thousands of illegal immigrants with serious criminal convictions, including sex offences and homicides, are currently accessible in the United States.

The information provided to Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) by ICE highlights the scale of the problem, with more than 7 million undocumented immigrants currently listed on the agency’s “non-detained docket.”

A non-detained docket refers to individuals going through removal proceedings or those who have received final removal orders but are not held in ICE detention. As of July 2024, over 425,000 people on this docket have been convicted of crimes, while another 222,000 are pending criminal charges.

Data provides a detailed breakdown of criminal offenses. Among those free in the U.S., there are 62,231 individuals convicted of assault, 14,301 for burglary, 56,533 for drug-related convictions, and 13,099 convicted murderers. Additionally, the non-detained population includes 2,521 individuals with kidnapping convictions and 15,811 convicted of sexual assault.

Pending charges for serious crimes are also alarming: there are 1,845 individuals with pending homicide charges, 42,915 with assault charges, and 4,250 facing sexual assault charges.

Rep. Gonzales expressed concern over the figures, stating, “As of July 21, 2024, there were 662,566 noncitizens with criminal histories on ICE’s national docket—13,099 criminally convicted MURDERS! Americans deserve to be SAFE in our communities.”

Immigrants line up at a remote U.S. Border Patrol processing centre after crossing the U.S.-Mexico border on December 07, 2023, in Lukeville, Arizona. Jesus Enrique Ramirez Cabrera, according to federal sources, came into the country illegally in December 2023 through Arizona, was apprehended and released into the U.S. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

ICE issued a statement following the release of the data, condemning so-called “sanctuary” cities for their refusal to cooperate with federal law enforcement. The agency argued that such policies protect dangerous criminals who often prey on immigrant communities themselves.

“Sanctuary policies can end up shielding dangerous criminals, who often victimise those same communities,” the statement read. ICE also pointed to its efforts to enforce immigration laws, stating that between May 2023 and July 2024, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) removed or returned over 893,600 individuals, including more than 138,300 people in family units. DHS also emphasised that most individuals encountered at the Southwest border in recent years have been deported or expelled.

However, the Biden administration has faced criticism for its handling of the border crisis and the release of many migrants into the U.S. interior. The number of deportations sharply decreased during Biden’s first years in office as the administration prioritised public safety and national security threats. While there were 142,580 removals in fiscal year 2023, up from 72,177 in FY 2022, the figures are still down from the 267,258 deportations recorded during the Trump administration in FY 2019.

At the same time, the number of illegal immigrants on the non-detained docket has grown from 3.7 million in FY 2021 to over 7 million in FY 2023.

Republican lawmakers have blamed the surge in illegal immigrants and the criminal threat on the Biden administration’s rollback of crucial immigration policies, such as Trump’s “catch and release” restrictions. House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green criticised the administration’s approach, saying, “It may be shocking to hear that the Biden-Harris administration is actively releasing tens of thousands of criminal illegal aliens into our communities, but their numbers conclusively prove this to be the case.”

Green warned that the current policies threaten American communities and demanded stricter enforcement. “How many more Americans need to die or be victimised before this administration is forced to abide by the laws they swore to uphold? This is madness. No civilised, well-functioning society should tolerate it,” he added.

The Biden administration has countered that it needs additional resources and reforms from Congress to address the broken immigration system. A bipartisan Senate bill introduced earlier this year aimed to increase ICE detention capacity, but Republican lawmakers rejected it.

Despite the challenges, DHS has reiterated its commitment to enforcing immigration laws, citing its heavy workload and limited funding. The department continues to push for more resources to deal with the increasing number of cases.

This data is released from Vice President Kamala Harris’s visit to the southern border in Arizona. She visited to address mounting criticism from Republicans and advocate for the bipartisan immigration reform bill. However, conservatives remain unswayed by her efforts.

RJ Hauman, president of the National Immigration Center for Enforcement (NICE), stated, “Border Czar Kamala Harris has had nearly four years to protect America and failed. She is allowing tens of thousands of murderers and rapists to roam free. She puts criminals first and your family’s safety and security last.”

The ICE data has reignited the ongoing debate over immigration policy, public safety, and the administration’s approach to securing U.S. borders.