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Nearly half of ICE arrests in Massachusetts involve immigrants with no criminal record

Apr 30, 2026·Location: MA

Nearly half of ICE arrests in Massachusetts involve immigrants with no criminal record
Photo via ack.net

Data released by the Deportation Data Project shows that nearly half of ICE arrests in Massachusetts between January 20, 2025 and March 10, 2026 involved immigrants without any criminal record or pending criminal charges. According to the data, approximately 45-46 percent of the 7,031 arrests had no criminal record, contradicting Department of Homeland Security statements that 70 percent of arrests involve people with criminal convictions or charges; the actual figure was approximately 54 percent. Of the total arrests, 3,220 were classified as "other immigration violators," more than 1,300 as "convicted criminals," and 2,453 had pending criminal charges, while nearly 900 were described as "collateral" arrests and more than 3,300 as "targeted." A DHS spokesperson disputed the report's findings as "cherry picked," while Liz Sweet of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition said the data reflects broader enforcement patterns, including at courthouses. The number of ICE arrests in Massachusetts increased fivefold compared to the final 14 months of the Biden administration, during which 26 percent of arrests involved people with no criminal record.

Timeline

Apr 30, 2026—Report published showing approximately 45 percent of arrests lacked criminal records, contradicting DHS claim of 70 percent
Apr 13, 2026—Deportation Data Project releases findings showing 46 percent of arrests involved immigrants with no criminal record
Mar 10, 2026—ICE arrest data collection period ends; Deportation Data Project analyzes 7,031 arrests in Massachusetts
Jan 20, 2025—ICE arrest data collection period begins
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