Fact check: How often does ICE deport people with valid visas or green cards?

1. Summary of the results

Based on the available analyses, ICE does deport and detain people with valid visas and green cards, though specific frequency data is limited. The evidence shows this occurs through several mechanisms:

• Direct detention cases: ICE has detained green card holders, including a 66-year-old man, Victor Avila, who was detained after returning from visiting his son in the US Air Force in Japan ^[1]. Another case involved a green card holder wrongfully detained for 48 days, despite his attorney arguing the client's record didn't justify deportation under immigration law ^[2].
• Legal justifications: ICE uses "arcane passages of immigration law" to justify detaining people with valid documentation ^[3]. Green card holders can have their eligibility revoked if they support terrorism or violence ^[4].
• Scale of enforcement: USCIS initiated removal proceedings against over 26,700 individuals since February 2025 ^[5], and ICE has established a new quota to arrest 3,000 people per day ^[6]. Congress has approved unprecedented funding for mass deportation efforts ^[7].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question lacks several critical pieces of context:

• Legal grounds for deportation: The analyses reveal that even valid visa and green card holders can be targeted if accused of supporting terrorism or other activities, suggesting there are legal pathways for such deportations ^{[4] [8]}.
• Climate of fear: Many green card holders are afraid of deportation "even if they have done nothing wrong," indicating the psychological impact extends beyond actual deportation numbers ^[8].
• Administrative changes: Recent policy shifts include lifting pauses on applications and issues with student visas, suggesting broader immigration enforcement changes ^[6].
• Wrongful detentions: Some cases appear to involve wrongful detention where legal documentation should have prevented enforcement action, indicating systemic issues in ICE's screening processes ^[2].

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question itself doesn't contain misinformation, but it lacks important nuance about the legal complexities involved. The question implies a simple binary of "valid documentation = protection from deportation," when the reality is more complex:

• Legal status can be revoked: Having a green card or visa doesn't provide absolute protection, as these can be revoked under certain circumstances ^[4].
• Enforcement discretion: ICE's enforcement actions may target individuals with valid documentation based on other factors or allegations, not just immigration status ^{[3] [8]}.
• Due process concerns: The analyses suggest some detentions may be wrongful or based on insufficient legal grounds, indicating potential overreach in enforcement ^[2].

The question would benefit from acknowledging that immigration enforcement operates in a gray area where valid documentation doesn't guarantee immunity from ICE action, particularly under current policies that have expanded enforcement scope and funding.