Homeland Security Admits Errors on 'Worst of the Worst' Immigrant Arrest Website

Hundreds of immigrants were incorrectly described as tied to serious crimes, the agency says.

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is acknowledging errors on its website that features what it calls the 'worst of the worst' arrested immigrants. The site currently lists about 25,000 people along with the specific crimes the agency says they are tied to, but a DHS spokesperson said charges against hundreds of immigrants were described incorrectly. An analysis found many were initially linked to only minor offenses and not serious crimes.

Why it matters

The 'worst of the worst' website was created in December amid nationwide immigration enforcement operations, raising concerns about the accuracy of the data and how it is being used to target immigrants. Minnesota officials have accused the federal government of padding their numbers by taking credit for arrests made by local law enforcement.

The details

DHS has blamed the inaccuracies on a 'glitch' that it said has been resolved as of Feb. 18, but the spokesperson did not answer questions about what type of glitch could cause the people on the website to be described incorrectly. As of Feb. 19, 487 people arrested in Minnesota were included on DHS's revised 'worst of the worst' list, down from 486 on Feb. 3.

  • The 'worst of the worst' website was created in December 2025.
  • On Feb. 3, 2026, KTTC reviewed the federal data and found 486 people from Minnesota on the list.
  • On Feb. 18, 2026, DHS said it had resolved the 'glitch' causing the inaccuracies.
  • On Feb. 19, 2026, the updated total for Rochester arrests stood at 60, down from 64 reported on Feb. 3.

The players

Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

The U.S. federal department responsible for public security, including immigration enforcement.

Paul Schnell

Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Corrections, who accused the federal government of padding arrest numbers.

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What they’re saying

“The inconsistency and lack of clarity in Homeland Security data raises important questions about the level of federal resources being applied to the 'worst of the worst' targets in Minnesota.”

— Paul Schnell, Commissioner, Minnesota Department of Corrections (KTTC)

What’s next

DHS has not provided details on how it plans to improve the accuracy of the 'worst of the worst' website going forward.

The takeaway

This case highlights ongoing concerns about the reliability and transparency of federal immigration data, as well as the potential for such data to be misused or misrepresented in the pursuit of aggressive enforcement policies.