**Tens of Thousands of Criminal Immigrants Unaccounted for on U.S. Streets, ICE Data Reveals**

A recent disclosure from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has unveiled alarming figures, showing that tens of thousands of illegal immigrants with criminal convictions, including homicide and sexual assault, are not in detention and are present within communities across the United States. The data, presented to lawmakers by ICE, highlights a troubling snapshot of national security concerns as of July 2024.

The information was provided to Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, and outlines the status of immigrants involved in criminal activity. It includes a breakdown of those detained and those not detained, known as the non-detained docket. This non-detained segment includes individuals who have either been ordered for removal or are undergoing removal proceedings but are not currently in ICE custody. Shockingly, this docket encompasses over 7 million people.

Among this group, 425,431 individuals have been convicted of crimes, while an additional 222,141 have pending criminal charges. These offenses include 62,231 convictions for assault, 14,301 for burglary, 56,533 for drug-related crimes, and 13,099 convictions for homicide. Furthermore, the data reveals 2,521 kidnapping convictions and 15,811 sexual assault convictions. Pending charges are also numerous, with 1,845 for homicide, 42,915 for assault, 3,266 for burglary, and 4,250 for assault.

Rep. Gonzales expressed his concern in a statement citing the staggering number of criminals on ICE's national docket, emphasizing the danger posed by the 13,099 convicted murderers. He stressed that Americans should feel safe in their own communities.

ICE's statement accompanying the data criticized "sanctuary" cities — jurisdictions that do not cooperate with federal law enforcement for deportations. ICE noted that such policies might inadvertently protect dangerous criminals, posing additional risks to the very communities these policies aim to shield.

Despite the ongoing challenges, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reported significant efforts to remove illegal immigrants. From mid-May 2023 to the end of July 2024, DHS removed or returned over 893,600 individuals, including more than 138,300 family units. Nevertheless, the Biden administration has faced criticism for releasing many migrants into the U.S. interior, which aligned with a notable decrease in deportations during the initial years of the administration.

Removal numbers have increased to 142,580 in FY 2023, considerably higher than the figures from the past two years but still far below the 267,258 removals seen under the Trump administration in FY 2019. The non-detained docket has grown significantly from 3.7 million in FY 2021 to over 7 million in FY 2023.

Republicans have squarely placed the blame on the current administration’s policies, accusing it of endangering public safety by rolling back previous strict measures, such as the "catch and release" policies.

Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green voiced severe criticism of the administration, questioning how many more American lives would be lost or affected by the presence of criminals within communities before the administration adheres to immigration laws.

The administration, defending its stance, has called for more funding and comprehensive reforms from Congress, advocating for a bipartisan Senate bill aimed at addressing these issues. DHS maintains that despite operating within what it describes as a broken immigration system and facing substantial workload and funding challenges, it continues to enforce laws to secure the borders effectively.

Nonetheless, the proposed bipartisan bill has faced rejection from Republicans. Critics argue that not all ICE detention beds are currently filled, further questioning the efficiency of the proposed measures.

The data disclosure comes amidst Vice President Kamala Harris's visit to the southern border in Arizona, a move aiming to counter former President Trump’s criticism and renew support for border reforms. However, conservative voices remain unconvinced, with prominent figures such as RJ Hauman, president of the National Immigration Center for Enforcement (NICE), accusing the administration of prioritizing criminals over public safety.