Disputing ICE Numbers: Minnesota Corrections Officials Set the Record Straight
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has claimed that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has over 1,360 arrest detainers for “criminal illegal aliens” in their custody. However, officials from the Minnesota Department of Corrections strongly disagree with these numbers, calling them “grossly inflated” and citing “operational incompetence” or “deliberate propaganda” as possible explanations.
According to state officials, the actual number of non-citizens in the state prison system is in the hundreds, not thousands. The Department of Corrections has repeatedly stated that federal tallies are incorrect and has called for more accurate data. In a written statement, the department expressed concerns that DHS claims “conflate state prison operations with those of county jails and federal enforcement activity, reflecting a fundamental misunderstanding of Minnesota’s correctional system.”
Examining the Data
The Department of Corrections took a closer look at 37 individuals highlighted in news releases issued by DHS over the past month. The results showed that most of these individuals were never in the custody of the state prison system, although some were transferred from a state prison to ICE as requested through an immigration detainer. The department found that DHS “has not identified a single instance where DOC released someone in violation of an ICE detainer” and that many individuals on the “Worst of the Worst” lists had no Minnesota prison custody or criminal record.
Some entries appeared to be cases of mistaken identity, with similar names that did not match mugshots and other identifiers provided by DHS. The Department of Corrections honors all ICE detainers and coordinates transfers when ICE requests pickup, but in some cases, ICE released the individual back into the community.
A Call for Transparency and Accuracy
The Department of Corrections is calling on DHS to explain its data sources and clean up its “Worst of the Worst” lists to “accurately reflect verifiable Minnesota criminal histories and DOC custody status.” Both federal immigration officials and the state Department of Corrections plan to hold press conferences to address the issue. As the debate continues, it is essential to rely on factual information and credible sources to understand the complex issues surrounding immigration and law enforcement.
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