Fact check: What percentage of deported immigrants under Trump had criminal convictions?

1. Summary of the results

The data on criminal convictions among deported immigrants under Trump presents a complex picture with varying statistics depending on the measurement criteria. According to ICE statistics, 71.7% of people detained by ICE had no criminal convictions ^[1], which means approximately 28.3% had criminal convictions. However, other sources provide different figures for arrests and deportations.

CBS News obtained data showing that of approximately 100,000 people deported between January 1 and June 24, 70,583 were convicted criminals ^[2], representing roughly 70.6% of deportees. However, the same source notes that most of the documented infractions were traffic or immigration offenses ^[2], indicating these were not necessarily serious violent crimes.

Additional data shows that 70% of ICE arrests included illegal aliens with criminal convictions or pending charges ^[3], while another source indicates that three in four arrests were criminal illegal aliens ^[4], suggesting approximately 75% of arrested immigrants had criminal records. Research cited indicates that about half of the people being deported have criminal backgrounds, but the criminality is often for lesser crimes ^[5].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question lacks crucial context about what constitutes "criminal convictions." The analyses reveal that most documented infractions were traffic or immigration offenses ^[2], not violent crimes. This distinction is significant because it affects public perception of deportation priorities.

There's also a discrepancy between detention, arrest, and deportation statistics that the original question doesn't address. The data shows different percentages for people detained (28.3% with convictions), arrested (70-75% with convictions), and actually deported (approximately 70.6% with convictions).

The Trump administration and immigration enforcement agencies would benefit from emphasizing higher percentages of criminal deportees to justify their policies, while immigrant advocacy groups and organizations like the American Immigration Council would benefit from highlighting that many deportees had only minor infractions ^[6] to argue against mass deportation policies.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question, while factual in nature, potentially creates bias by not specifying what types of criminal convictions are being referenced. This omission could lead to the assumption that deportees were primarily serious criminals, when the data shows most infractions were traffic or immigration offenses ^[2].

The question also doesn't distinguish between different stages of the enforcement process - detention, arrest, and actual deportation - which show significantly different conviction rates. The 71.7% of detained individuals without criminal convictions ^[1] presents a very different picture than the 70.6% of actual deportees who were convicted criminals ^[2].

Additionally, the framing doesn't account for the fact that less than 1% of deportees had murder convictions ^[2], which contradicts the narrative of removing "the worst of the worst" that was promoted during the Trump administration.