Nearly Half of ICE Arrests in Washington Have No Criminal History

Federal data reveals concerning trend of individuals without criminal records being taken into custody

Published on Feb. 22, 2026

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A recent analysis by The Seattle Times found that 47% of the over 2,000 individuals taken into ICE custody in Washington between the start of President Trump's second term and October 2025 had no criminal convictions or pending charges. This contradicts the Trump administration's promise to target the 'worst of the worst' offenders, with the majority of arrests involving individuals with only minor infractions like traffic violations.

Why it matters

The high percentage of ICE arrests involving individuals without criminal histories raises concerns about the administration's immigration enforcement priorities and the impact on communities. It also calls into question the effectiveness and fairness of current immigration policies.

The details

According to the federal data, only 13% of the 2,000 ICE arrests in Washington involved individuals with violent crimes. The vast majority had nothing worse than a traffic violation on their record. KIRO radio hosts Ursula Reutin and Spike O'Neill expressed shock at the findings, noting that this contradicts the Trump administration's promises to target the 'worst of the worst' offenders.

  • Between the start of President Trump's second term and October 2025

The players

Ursula Reutin

KIRO radio host who discussed the federal data on ICE arrests in Washington.

Spike O'Neill

KIRO radio host who discussed the federal data on ICE arrests in Washington.

The Seattle Times

The news outlet that analyzed the federal data on ICE arrests in Washington.

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What they’re saying

“It's just like promises kept, promises made, promises broken, from the Trump administration. Nobody campaigned on clearing out the Home Depot workforce or the kitchen staff here, there, and everywhere. That's not what people campaigned on. They campaigned on the worst of the worst. We all, I think, support the removal of the worst of the worst. But you mentioned 47% in Washington have no criminal record.”

— Spike O'Neill, KIRO radio host (KIRO Newsradio)

“When we break it down, we're talking about a very, very tiny percentage, 13%, being violent crimes. If you have a violent crime, you should be deported, period. But we're talking about, again, some kind of traffic infraction. It's eye-opening when you see what was promised, and what is actually happening.”

— Ursula Reutin, KIRO radio host (KIRO Newsradio)

The takeaway

The high percentage of ICE arrests in Washington involving individuals without criminal histories raises serious questions about the administration's immigration enforcement priorities and the fairness of current policies. It highlights the need for a more targeted and humane approach to immigration enforcement that focuses on serious offenders while respecting the rights and dignity of all individuals.