Noncriminal ICE arrests in Ohio soared in June
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U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests of people without criminal charges or convictions spiked last month in Ohio and nationwide, new data shows.
Why it matters: The numbers illustrate a major shift that came soon after the Trump administration tripled ICE's daily arrest quota from 1,000 to 3,000.
- They also contradict the Trump administration's claimed focus on criminals living in the country illegally.
Catch up quick: Daily immigration arrests in Ohio were already much higher than in the same period last year before the quota increase.
- State lawmakers are considering further expanding immigration enforcement and punishing interference, which could result in even more arrests, we reported this month.
- Recent Central Ohio arrests include a Brazilian father paying a traffic ticket, a Mexican grandmother with an expired work visa, and three Hiro Ramen & Tea employees.
By the numbers: People without criminal charges or convictions made up an average of 50% of daily ICE arrests in Ohio in June (through June 26).
- That's up from 29% in May, before the quota increase.
How it works: The data comes from the UC Berkeley School of Law's Deportation Data Project via Freedom of Information Act requests and is based on seven-day trailing averages.
Context: Being in the U.S. illegally is a civil, not a criminal, violation.
- But "ICE has the authority to arrest immigrants who are suspected of violating immigration laws, regardless of criminal history," writes Austin Kocher, an immigration expert and Syracuse University researcher, in an analysis of the new data.
What they're saying: In an emailed statement, Department of Homeland Security assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Axios the official data shows "70% of ICE arrests were criminal illegal aliens with convictions or pending charges."
- McLaughlin claimed many "non-criminals … just don't have a rap sheet in the U.S."
- DHS did not answer a follow-up question about the origin of the 70% figure.
What's next: Trump's plan to deport millions of immigrants likely will depend not on removing criminals, but on telling people who are in the U.S. legally that they're no longer welcome — including the large Haitian community in Springfield.