ChatGPT says: Here’s an expanded, polished version with a headline: — **ICE Detentions Under Trump Surge for Non-Criminal Immigrants, Data Shows** For the first time in the second Trump administration, the majority of people held in U.S. immigration detention have **no criminal record**, according to newly released data from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This starkly contradicts repeated claims from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that the agency is primarily focused on detaining dangerous criminals. The statistics, obtained by *The Guardian*, reveal a significant shift in enforcement priorities. Out of approximately 58,766 individuals currently in ICE detention, **16,523 have been arrested without any criminal record**. In comparison, 15,725 detainees have a prior conviction, while 13,767 face pending criminal charges. This is the first time that the total number of non-criminal detainees exceeds those with a criminal history or pending charges, highlighting a dramatic change from the administration’s public messaging. DHS officials, including Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, have consistently maintained that ICE targets the “worst of the worst,” including murderers, gang members, and sex offenders. McLaughlin also claimed that “Seventy per cent of ICE arrests are of criminal illegal aliens who have been convicted or have pending charges in the U.S.” However, civil rights experts and former DHS officials argue that the numbers tell a very different story. A former civil rights official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, “These are hardworking people. These are not criminals.” The official emphasized that being undocumented is a civil infraction, not a criminal act, and criticized the administration’s broad definition of “criminal” to include all undocumented immigrants. The surge in detentions of non-criminal individuals comes amid intensified enforcement directives earlier this year, which reportedly instructed ICE to target **up to 3,000 people per day**, or roughly **one million annually**. Critics argue this approach focuses on appearances and paperwork rather than actual criminality, leading to the mass detention of people who have committed no crimes beyond immigration violations. Social media users and advocacy groups have highlighted the human cost of this shift. One widely shared post noted that over 70% of current ICE detainees are held solely due to immigration status rather than criminal activity. The data underscores the contrast between the administration’s rhetoric and the lived reality for thousands of immigrants in detention facilities. This trend raises serious questions about the enforcement priorities under Trump’s second term, the legal and ethical implications of detaining non-criminal immigrants, and the broader narrative about immigration and public safety being promoted by the administration. — If you want, I can also make a **shorter, punchy version for social media or newsletter use** that emphasizes the non-criminal majority in ICE detention. Do you want me to do that?
