A recent report reveals that the number of noncitizens in the U.S. with murder convictions is likely much higher than the 13,400 listed on Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) national docket. According to Sean Kennedy, a law enforcement and crime data expert, the actual figure could be “tens of thousands” more due to incomplete or unavailable criminal records from migrants’ home countries.
ICE’s data shows 13,099 noncitizens with murder convictions are currently on its non-detained docket, which includes individuals in the process of deportation but not in ICE custody. The data also shows that 662,566 noncitizens with criminal histories are on ICE’s national docket, which includes crimes ranging from assault to homicide. However, Kennedy highlighted that the figures only account for crimes committed in the U.S., excluding criminal backgrounds from migrants’ countries of origin, where data is often unavailable or not shared with the U.S.
Kennedy cited cases like that of Gianfranco Torres-Navarro, a Peruvian gang leader responsible for 23 murders, who illegally crossed into the U.S. and was later discovered by authorities. Such examples, he argued, highlight flaws in the current vetting process, which often fails to detect dangerous individuals with violent pasts.
This alarming discrepancy has raised concerns among immigration and law enforcement officials, who argue that insufficient vetting and a lack of cooperation from other countries allow dangerous criminals to enter the U.S. unnoticed. The ongoing issue has reignited debates over border security and the need for comprehensive immigration reforms to ensure better protection for U.S. residents.