Fact check: Can ICE detain green card holders for minor crimes in 2025?

1. Summary of the results

Based on the analyses provided, ICE can indeed detain green card holders for minor crimes in 2025. The evidence shows that even minor convictions can trigger ICE scrutiny and that green card holders are not entirely immune to deportation ^[1]. A concrete example demonstrates this reality: ICE detained a green card holder due to a nonviolent drug conviction from 2001, showing that past minor crimes can lead to detention years later ^[2].

The Trump administration's immigration policies have increased the scope of immigration detention ^[3], which creates a broader environment where green card holders face heightened risk of detention. Additionally, the Trump administration is bringing back widespread family detention after the Biden administration had effectively halted the practice of holding families with children in immigration detention ^[4].

ICE makes custody determinations based on factors such as flight risk and public safety ^[5], and green card holders are advised to carry proof of their immigration status at all times, as failure to do so could lead to detention ^[6].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question lacks several crucial pieces of context:

• Historical precedent: The analyses reveal that detention of green card holders for minor crimes is not a new phenomenon - cases like the 2001 nonviolent drug conviction leading to detention show this has been an ongoing practice ^[2].
• Policy evolution: There has been significant variation between administrations. The Biden administration had effectively halted certain detention practices, while the Trump administration expanded them and is now bringing back widespread family detention ^[4].
• Legal protections and rights: Green card holders do have specific rights during encounters with ICE, and there are established procedures for protecting their legal status ^{[7] [8]}.
• Detention standards: ICE operates under the National Detention Standards (NDS) 2025 and Performance Based National Detention Standards 2016, which govern detention policies ^[9]. The detention is classified as non-punitive, and ICE uses alternatives to detention in some cases ^[5].

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question does not contain explicit misinformation, but it may reflect an incomplete understanding of immigration law. The phrasing suggests uncertainty about whether this practice exists, when the evidence clearly shows it does.

Immigration attorneys and advocacy organizations would benefit from highlighting the risks to green card holders, as this drives demand for legal services and support for immigration reform. Conversely, immigration enforcement agencies and supporters of stricter immigration policies would benefit from emphasizing their authority to detain green card holders, as this supports their enforcement mandate and political objectives.

The question's focus on "minor crimes" may also underestimate the broad discretionary power ICE has in making detention decisions, which extends beyond just the severity of the crime to include factors like flight risk and public safety assessments.