A group of six Hispanic Republicans is calling on the Trump administration to focus on deporting migrants charged with violent crimes. This plea comes as immigration enforcement officials have intensified actions against non-violent immigrants.
In a letter addressed to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deputy Todd Lyons, the group, led by Rep. Tony Gonzalez (R-Texas), who chairs the House GOP, requested details regarding the status of immigrants with criminal charges on ICE’s dockets and information about already processed cases.
“We firmly believe that convicted criminals, including murderers and sex offenders, are a direct threat to homeland security. We’re committed to ensuring that resources are directed towards identifying, prosecuting, and deporting these individuals promptly,” Gonzalez stated.
He emphasized that while the nation upholds the law, there needs to be a prioritization in immigration enforcement efforts. Pursuing individuals with clean records diverts attention from capturing real threats like terrorists and cartel members.
This letter comes as the administration has increased deportations of migrants lacking violent crime accusations. Yet, some Republicans have begun voicing concerns, particularly those representing areas with significant immigrant populations.
Joining Gonzalez in this initiative are lawmakers Monica de la Cruz (R-Texas), Maria Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.), Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.), Gabe Evans (R-Colo), and David Valadao (R-Calif.).
They expressed support for President Trump’s commitment to border security but insisted that violent offenders and undocumented criminals should be the top priority.
According to ICE, around 600,000 individuals with criminal charges listed against Gonzalez last September mostly included those convicted of serious offenses such as murder, sexual assault, and smuggling.
The group inquired about how many of the 100,000 deportations conducted since January involved convicted criminals and their connections to gangs and organized crime.
Historically, both Republican and Democratic administrations have aimed to remove violent offenders and those with criminal charges, recognizing the limited resources available for handling the over 10 million people in the country illegally.
Recently, Trump received backlash for indiscriminate arrests during broader enforcement actions. Tom Homan, a key figure in border security, indicated that ICE plans to increase workplace raids.
The administration has also started moving to dismiss immigration court cases promptly, arresting migrants immediately after their hearings as part of an expedited removal process. In contrast, under the Biden administration, ICE agents are instructed to focus on individuals who recently crossed the border or have prior convictions for violent crimes, while those with minor infractions or good standing in their communities are not prioritized.
