WASHINGTON – Six Republican members of Congress, together with Florida Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, despatched a letter to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, requesting up to date statistics on what number of arrested unlawful aliens going through deportation have prison convictions.
The lawmakers, all members of the Congressional Hispanic Convention, despatched the letter to ICE Appearing Director Troy Miller.
The members acknowledged that they “strongly agree that convicted prison aliens smugglers, murderers, and intercourse offenders— pose an instantaneous menace to our homeland safety.”
Nonetheless, they added they’re “additionally involved” ICE’s “restricted assets could also be stretched to pursue people that don’t represent an instantaneous menace to public security
“Whereas we do agree that we’re a nation of legal guidelines— and that each one who crossed our borders illegally are topic to these laws-there are ranges of precedence that have to be thought of on the subject of immigration enforcement,” the lawmakers wrote.
“Each minute that we spend pursuing a person with a clear report is a minute much less that we dedicate to apprehending terrorists or cartel operatives,” the letter stated.
The letter was signed by U.S. Reps. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, 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.
Of the estimated 100,000 people who’ve been deported since January of this yr, what number of are convicted criminals? Please present a breakdown of their prison offenses by class.
The GOP lawmakers requested Miller to reply to the next questions by June 30:
- Of these estimated 100,000 people, what number of are from ICE’s docket from final yr, referenced within the first paragraph?
- Of these estimated 100,000 people, what number of have ties to prison enterprises, organizations, or gangs like Tren de Aragua?
- What obstacles have you ever confronted, together with resistance from international locations of origin, in repatriating the people above? Which international locations have confirmed recalcitrant or non-cooperative along with your efforts?
- What assets, if any, do you require from Congress to enhance or complement enforcement efforts towards these listed above?
- What insurance policies or new authorities from Congress would help you in pursuing convicted prison aliens or these with prison information that pose a menace to public security?
In accordance with the letter, the requests by the representatives is a observe as much as data obtained by Gonzales, chair of the Congressional Hispanic Convention, from ICE in September of final yr.
The letter famous that ICE revealed that “over 600,000 people with prison fees—greater than 65% of whom have been convicted of crimes like homicide, sexual assault, and smuggling— have been on ICE’s docket, residing inside our borders.”
👀 Six GOP members are asking for stats on what number of arrested migrants are criminals
“we’re additionally involved that your restricted assets could also be stretched to pursue
people that don’t represent an instantaneous menace to public security”Extra on this: https://t.co/SMiZDzxAAd pic.twitter.com/l09plDaacg
— Stef Kight (@StefWKight) June 12, 2025
On Friday, Salazar shared on social media that she and Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, are set to introduce a “revolutionary piece of laws that can provide actual options to repair our immigration system and eventually convey order to chaos for good” earlier than the top of June.
“President Trump himself has acknowledged what so many people already know: Longtime employees, lots of whom have constructed their lives on this nation, are being taken away. Our development websites, our inns, and our farms are feeling the influence,” Salazar stated.
President Trump himself has acknowledged what so many people already know: long-time employees, lots of whom have constructed their lives on this nation, are being taken away. Our development websites, our inns, and our farms are feeling the influence.
It’s time for Congress to Act and…
— Rep. María Elvira Salazar (@RepMariaSalazar) June 13, 2025
