Cato Institute Data Challenges Trump Administration Immigration Claims

David J. Bier, director of immigration studies at the Cato Institute, released a nonpublic dataset showing that of 44,882 people booked into ICE custody between October 1 and November 15, 73% had no criminal record. Among those with records, the vast majority faced minor immigration, traffic, or vice charges, with only 5% linked to violent crimes. This trend marks a shift from earlier in the year; for instance, arrests of individuals without charges surged by 1,500% under the current administration, peaking at 4,072 in June.

The findings sparked a heated exchange between lawmakers and the Department of Homeland Security. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) called the data a "scandal," arguing that the administration is targeting peaceful individuals. DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin dismissed the report as "propaganda," a characterization that prompted immediate pushback from researchers. Experts, including Aaron Reichlin-Melnick of the American Immigration Council, noted that the figures are consistent with information already available on official ICE websites, suggesting the government is labeling its own internal data as misleading when it contradicts official narratives.