ICE Arrest Data Allegedly Manipulated By Biden’s DHS

Biden administration officials manipulated ICE arrest statistics by counting illegal immigrants who were caught and released, creating a false impression of enforcement while allowing dangerous criminals to roam free in American communities.

Key Takeaways

Over two-thirds of ICE “arrests” under Biden were actually “enforcement theater” where illegal immigrants were processed and immediately released
Trump administration’s ICE has made 32,809 legitimate interior arrests in less than two months, nearly matching Biden’s entire 2024 total
Trump’s ICE has apprehended 1,155 gang members and 39 terrorists—triple the rate under Biden’s catch-and-release policies
Border crossings have plummeted from over 60,000 in January to under 12,000 in February following policy changes
Biden’s DHS directed ICE to count “pass-through” arrests to artificially inflate enforcement numbers

ICE Officials Expose Biden’s Statistical Deception

Department of Homeland Security officials have revealed that the Biden administration deliberately misled the American public about immigration enforcement. According to Todd Lyons, the acting director at ICE, officials were directed to count incidents where illegal immigrants were merely processed and released as formal “arrests,” creating a false impression of strong border enforcement. This accounting trick allowed the previous administration to claim success while effectively abandoning real immigration enforcement and putting American communities at risk.

“We found tens of thousands of cases that were recorded as arrests when, in fact, these instances were illegal aliens that were simply processed and released into American communities,” said Todd Lyons.

A senior ICE official further disclosed that more than two-thirds of the arrests recorded during the previous year amounted to nothing more than “enforcement theater.” These so-called “pass-through” arrests provided illegal immigrants with documentation showing they were in a legal process, qualifying them for services and benefits while creating a pathway toward long-term residency. The directive to use this misleading accounting method reportedly came directly from Biden’s Homeland Security Department leadership.

BREAKING: Senior ICE and DHS officials just held a background call w/ reporters. Highlights below, per these officials:

Trump administration ICE interior arrests of illegal aliens inside the US has already surpassed all of Biden's ICE interior arrests in all of Fiscal Year 2024.…

— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) March 12, 2025

Trump Administration Restores Legitimate Enforcement

The contrast between the previous administration’s approach and President Trump’s immigration policies has become starkly apparent in just the first few months of 2025. ICE has recorded 32,809 legitimate interior arrests from January 20 to March 10, approaching the total for all of 2024 when excluding Biden’s fraudulent “pass-through” arrests. These numbers reveal the true extent of the previous administration’s enforcement failures when proper accounting methods are applied.

“This gave them a pathway to establishing a long-term … residency here in the U.S.,” an official said.

Among the legitimate arrests made under the Trump administration are 1,155 known or suspected gang members and 39 known or suspected terrorists—nearly triple the rate seen during the Biden years. Interior arrests have more than doubled from an average of 234 per day under Biden to 632 per day under Trump. These figures demonstrate a renewed commitment to removing dangerous criminals from American communities rather than simply processing and releasing them.

Border Crisis Shows Signs of Improvement

The immediate impact of President Trump’s immigration policies has been dramatic at the southern border. Customs and Border Protection has reported a precipitous drop in unauthorized border crossings, with numbers plummeting from over 60,000 in January to just 11,709 in February. This 80% reduction demonstrates how quickly effective policies can reverse even the most severe immigration crisis when properly implemented and enforced.

“This victory at our borders makes the past four years even more of a tragedy,” Rep. Mark Green said.

The human cost of the previous administration’s catch-and-release policies continues to be felt by American communities. Representative Mark Green highlighted tragic cases like those of Laken Riley and Kayla Hamilton, American citizens who lost their lives to violent crimes committed by illegal immigrants who should have been detained and deported. With ICE detention facilities currently at maximum capacity with 47,600 migrants, the Trump administration faces significant challenges in undoing four years of deliberately weakened immigration enforcement.