Noem Insists 70% of ICE Detainees Were Violent Criminals, CBS Data Says 47%
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem insisted on live TV that “70%” of people in ICE custody have been charged with or convicted of violent crimes — and pushed back hard when CBS News reported internal numbers showing otherwise.
On Face the Nation Sunday, host Margaret Brennan asked Noem what percentage of those detained had committed criminal offenses versus civil infractions. Noem replied that 70% have committed or have charges for violent crimes.
Brennan immediately challenged that, noting that the Department of Homeland Security’s own data shows about 47% of ICE detainees have criminal convictions — a figure Noem said was wrong.
The CBS transcript shows Noem brushed off the 47% figure, accusing the host of picking “what numbers you think work,” and said her team would provide “the correct numbers” for future reporting.
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This exchange highlights a broader dispute over how ICE characterizes the criminal histories of those it detains. Internal DHS figures do not distinguish violent from nonviolent convictions, and publicly available data does not corroborate Noem’s 70% violent crime claim.
Experts and critics say the distinction between any conviction and violent crime is crucial to understanding enforcement statistics, and public clarity on the datasets cited remains lacking.
Public scrutiny comes amid heightened tensions over immigration enforcement tactics, especially following the controversial ICE shooting in Minneapolis that has drawn national attention.
The coming days could see DHS clarify its figures or release new data sets to substantiate or revise Noem’s claims. That clarification is expected later this week. The White House and DHS did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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