San Antonio Standard

On March 13, 2024, Congressman Tony Gonzales (TX-23) sent a letter to President Biden and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. He expressed concern over policies in sanctuary cities that protect noncitizens from federal law enforcement. Gonzales requested information on illegal immigrants on ICE’s docket to understand how many potential criminals were being released into communities.

On Thursday evening, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Deputy Director Patrick Lechleiter responded to Gonzales’ inquiry with data confirming that as of July 2024, 662,566 illegal immigrants on ICE’s docket have a criminal history.

“We’ve known for far too long that the Biden-Harris border crisis poses a direct threat to Americans. The truth is clear—illegal immigrants with a criminal record are coming into our country. The data released by ICE is beyond disturbing, and it should be a wake-up call for the Biden-Harris administration and cities across the country that hide behind sanctuary policies,” said Congressman Tony Gonzales. “It’s time for Washington to move past rhetoric and toward results. Americans deserve to feel safe in their communities. As an Appropriator, I will do everything in my power to ensure ICE has the resources necessary to deport noncitizens with a criminal record—this must be a priority. The Biden-Harris administration also plays a part in cleaning up the mess their failed policies have created. They have the ear of sanctuary city mayors—it’s time to encourage them to reverse course and put the safety of American citizens first.”

To view the data released by ICE, click here.