CBS News and Face the Nation anchor Margaret Brennan claimed yesterday that out of the 66,000 illegals being detained by ICE, which she said is at a record high, nearly half of them don’t have any criminal conviction:
By claiming this, Breenan’s point is to rile up people who think ICE isn’t going after actual criminals like they said they’d do.
But DHS tweeted this morning that her reporting is absolutely false. They write that the number is much higher:
WRONG. ~ 70% of illegal aliens arrested have pending criminal charges or criminal convictions.
Does CBS really want us to release accused murderers and rapists back on the streets?
But @FaceTheNation is right about one thing: our deportation operations are at a RECORD HIGH.
WRONG. ~ 70% of illegal aliens arrested have pending criminal charges or criminal convictions.
Does CBS really want us to release accused murderers and rapists back on the streets?
But @FaceTheNation is right about one thing: our deportation operations are at a RECORD HIGH. https://t.co/JFQ044rfZe
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) November 24, 2025
Border Czar Tom Homan has always said they would go after criminal illegals, but that if they found non-criminal illegals along the way, they’d arrest and deport them as well. With a number like 70%, I’d say that tracks pretty well.