Nearly Half of Immigrants Detained by ICE in Mass. Had No Criminal Record, Report Finds

New data analysis contradicts claims by Department of Homeland Security about criminal backgrounds of those arrested.

Apr. 14, 2026 at 11:33am

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A cinematic painting of an ICE detention van parked on a dimly lit urban street, with warm shadows and muted colors creating a sense of quiet unease and uncertainty about the nature of the enforcement actions taking place.The shadowy presence of federal immigration enforcement looms over a quiet Massachusetts neighborhood, raising questions about the accuracy of claims regarding the criminal backgrounds of those targeted.Boston Today

A new report by a watchdog group found that around 46% of immigrants arrested by ICE in Massachusetts from January 2025 to March 2026 had no criminal record, contradicting claims by the Department of Homeland Security that 70% of ICE arrests involve criminal illegal immigrants.

Why it matters

This data raises questions about the accuracy of DHS claims regarding the criminal backgrounds of immigrants targeted for arrest and detention by ICE. It also highlights ongoing tensions between federal immigration enforcement and state/local policies that limit cooperation with ICE.

The details

The Deportation Data Project analyzed ICE arrest data in Massachusetts and found that of the 7,031 immigrants arrested during the 15-month period, 46% had no criminal record, 19% had no criminal convictions, and 35% had no pending criminal charges. This contradicts DHS claims that the majority of ICE arrests involve criminals.

  • The data analyzed covers the period from January 2025 through March 2026.

The players

Deportation Data Project

A watchdog group that analyzed ICE arrest data in Massachusetts.

Department of Homeland Security

The federal agency that oversees ICE and disputed the findings of the Deportation Data Project report.

Andrew Latarullo

A local immigration attorney who said the report's findings mirror what he sees in his work.

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What they’re saying

“They're people that apply for asylum, they've been in the country for years, they have future court hearings and then they just take them at a check in.”

— Andrew Latarullo, Immigration Attorney

“Many of the individuals that are counted as 'non-criminals' are actually terrorists, human rights abusers, gangsters and more; they just don't have a rap sheet in the U.S. Further, every single one of these individuals committed a crime when they came into this country illegally.”

— Department of Homeland Security

What’s next

State lawmakers recently passed the Protect Act, which restricts local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration enforcement and bans arrests within courthouses. The impact of this new law on future ICE operations in Massachusetts remains to be seen.

The takeaway

This report highlights the ongoing debate over the criminal backgrounds of immigrants targeted by ICE, with the data contradicting claims made by the Department of Homeland Security. It also underscores the tensions between federal immigration enforcement and state/local policies aimed at limiting cooperation with ICE.