More than 13,000 immigrants convicted of homicide, either in the United States or abroad, are living freely in the U.S. without being detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This data was provided to Congress by ICE, with many of these individuals being on the agency’s “non-detained” docket. However, ICE does not have the resources to locate and arrest all of these individuals.
The data was provided in response to a request from Republican Congressman Tony Gonzales of Texas, and it is not clear when these individuals crossed into the U.S. Many of them entered under previous administrations, including that of former President Donald Trump.
Some migrants convicted of crimes may have crossed the border and been released without ICE knowledge, as border patrol lacks information on their criminal history. Additionally, in sanctuary cities, state and local officials may release criminals without notifying ICE, making it difficult for the agency to locate and deport them.
While ICE prioritizes individuals convicted of serious crimes like homicide for arrest, their limited resources make it challenging to locate and detain all of them. The agency is making efforts to collaborate with local jurisdictions to rethink sanctuary policies in light of the increased attention on migrant crime.
NBC News followed ICE agents in Maryland as they arrested individuals convicted of murder and attempted murder in other countries, highlighting the manpower and resources required to locate and apprehend these individuals living freely in the U.S.
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