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DHS rebuts report that ICE was told only to focus on criminals

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Cite

Giaritelli, A. (2026, September 28). DHS rebuts report that ICE was told only to focus on criminals. Washington Examiner. https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/immigration/4744890/dhs-rebuts-report-alleging-only-worst-of-the-worst-ice-told-focus-criminals/

Dated when The Aporia collected the article, usually within hours of publication. Check the original for its exact date and byline.

Washington Examiner · collected 2026-09-28 · by Anna Giaritelli

Quick Summary

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) denied reports that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers were instructed to focus only on arresting illegal immigrants with criminal records. Instead, DHS stated in a post on X over the weekend that ICE will continue to arrest and deport any illegal immigrant regardless of their criminal status. The agency also emphasized its commitment to targeting criminal illegal aliens in sanctuary cities, including those released from jails by local officials who refuse cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
Written by AI on 2026-09-28, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

On September 26, The Daily Wire reported that ICE officers across the US had received instructions to stop arresting non-criminal undocumented migrants and focus instead on those with criminal backgrounds. The report suggested a halt to “collateral arrests,” where ICE would no longer detain other undocumented individuals encountered while pursuing specific targets. However, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) quickly denied these claims through social media platforms like X, stating, "This is false. No one is off the table." DHS emphasized that ICE would continue to arrest and deport all illegal immigrants regardless of their criminal history. The denial underscores the Trump administration's commitment to pursuing all undocumented migrants as part of its broader enforcement strategy.

Written for “ICE Arrest Policies Debated” on 2026-11-01, grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.

Story

📰 ICE Arrest Policies Debated
Politics · 2 article(s) covering the same event. See how they differ ↓

Compared with similar articles

This article reads unscored and hedges 15% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.
ICE arrests Honduran illegal immigrant for allegedly sexually assaulting children: DHS Different event
New York Post
⚖️ Leans strongly right Hedges 2 of 16 claims Outlet record 66/100
“Article A discusses a general policy denial by DHS regarding ICE's enforcement practices, while Article B reports on a specific arrest of an illegal immigrant for child sex crimes.”
Amnesty International calls for abolition of ICE in report documenting rights violations Different event
South China Morning Post
Hedges 0 of 5 claims Outlet record 64/100
“The articles discuss different aspects of ICE operations, with Article A focusing on Amnesty International's report calling for the abolition of ICE due to rights violations and Article B addressing a DHS rebuttal regarding instructions for targeting criminal immigrants.”
US senators propose legislation to limit ICE arrests and indefinite detention Different event
The Guardian
⚖️ Leans strongly left Hedges 1 of 23 claims Outlet record 66/100
“The articles discuss different aspects of ICE policies and legislation, not the same specific incident.”
‘No one is off the table’: Trump admin denies report of ICE pausing arrests of non-criminal illegal migrants Same event
Times of India
Hedges 6 of 20 claims Outlet record 59/100
ICE changes course again in tweaking traffic stop and vehicle pursuit policies Different event
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⚖️ Leans right Hedges 4 of 19 claims Outlet record 70/100
“The articles discuss different policy changes by ICE: one about arrest priorities and the other about traffic stop policies.”
Federal judge blocks ICE from arrests in New York courthouses Different event
Washington Examiner
⚖️ Leans left Hedges 1 of 11 claims Outlet record 70/100
“The articles discuss different aspects of ICE operations and policies, one denying a report about arrest instructions and the other reporting on a judge's ruling to block courthouse arrests.”
'Squad' Democrat slammed by Trump admin for most 'radical' plan targeting ICE yet Different event
Fox News
Hedges 1 of 20 claims Outlet record 69/100
“The articles discuss different issues related to ICE and DHS, with Article A focusing on criticism of a Democrat's legislation, while Article B addresses a denial regarding instructions to focus only on criminal immigrants.”
How this article was measured signals, leaning charts, publisher record, byline, topics and claims

Signals How these are calculated →

Claims extracted
13
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
15%
2 of 13 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
withheld
no quote in the article backed the model's score
Publisher signals
70/100
Washington Examiner's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
2
Politics
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Analyzed 2026-09-28 · how these are computed

How this is being covered How these are calculated →

Article leaning vs. publisher reliability
Source leaning vs. consistency

Publisher

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Who wrote this

Anna Giaritelli
24 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction
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🔮 The continuation of temporary protected status for the two countries also costs federal immigration authorities the chance to arrest and deport more than 105,000 illegal immigrants who would have lost deportation protection had the program been canceled.
2026-10-21 · assertive framing · DHS extension of TPS for Sudan and Ukraine deemed part-political and part-necessary
🔮 Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-IL) introduced a bill on Tuesday, just weeks ahead of the midterm election, that would go considerably further than socialists’ calls to get rid of DHS agency U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement but keep the rest of the department.
2026-10-14 · assertive framing · House Democrat calls to abolish DHS and replace with ‘community safety’ department
🔮 EXCLUSIVE — Leaked government data set to be publicly released in the coming weeks show the number of illegal immigrants apprehended by Border Patrol for attempting to enter the country illegally from Mexico declined by more than 2 million in President Donald Trump’s first full fiscal year in office compared to his predecessor’s year one.
2026-10-14 · assertive framing · 99,000 arrested at Mexican border in Trump’s first year versus two million in Biden’s year one
🔮 “Time will tell all.”
2026-10-12 · assertive framing · Federal agents conduct predawn search of Ilhan Omar’s home in Washington
🔮 Although the White House has touted that the taxes on imports would benefit Americans, the cost of goods remains high.
2026-10-09 · assertive framing · Five takeaways from blistering Georgia Senate debate between Ossoff and Collins
🔮 “The men and women of ICE also share in the success of a secure border because they have sent a message to the whole world that they will enforce immigration laws in the interior and continue to break monthly historic records for arrests and deportations.
2026-10-07 · assertive framing · Republicans are not talking about Trump’s biggest 2024 campaign promise
🔮 “This administration will continue to pursue the largest denaturalization effort in department history to restore trust and integrity in U.S. citizenship.
2026-10-05 · assertive framing · DOJ strips US citizenship from 40 alleged criminals
🔮 “Some backgrounds take 3-6 months, so the person could have graduated and be working at a field office before their full clearance gets granted or denied,” the retired official said in a text message.
2026-10-04 · assertive framing · ICE officers say internal chaos has led to thousands of employee departures
🔮 U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel for the Southern District of New York, a George W. Bush appointee, ruled Thursday that federal law enforcement officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement would not be permitted inside courthouses.
2026-10-02 · assertive framing · Federal judge blocks ICE from arrests in New York courthouses
Also by Anna Giaritelli
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Trump border chief defends Big Bend wall plans as court battle delays construction
2026-10-28 · Washington Examiner
Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.
All 24 articles by Anna Giaritelli →

Topics

American DHS ICE The Department of Homeland Security U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Subjects

ICE ORG · 6× DHS ORG · 3× American NORP · 1× Donald Trump PERSON · 1× The Department of Homeland Security ORG · 1× Tom Homan PERSON · 1× U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement ORG · 1× White House ORG · 1× the Daily Wire ORG · 1× the United States GPE · 1×

Narrative

President Donald Trump vowed to go after the most dangerous illegal immigrants in the United States upon taking office and launching the nation’s “largest-ever” deportation operation. However, White House border czar Tom Homan warned in late 2024 that collateral arrests would take place when ICE personnel pull over a suspected illegal immigrant while driving or at a business and encounter other people at the site.
framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-09-28
🔮 The DHS insisted in a post to X over the weekend that federal immigration officers will arrest and detain illegal immigrants regardless of their criminal status, following a report that only the “worst of the worst” would be targeted nationwide.
2026-09-28 · Washington Examiner
DHS rebuts report that ICE was told only to focus on criminals · assertive framing

Claims (13 extracted, 2 hedged)

The Department of Homeland Security has denied a report that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers were recently instructed only to arrest illegal immigrants with criminal histories. asserted
officers → deny → histories
The DHS insisted in a post to X over the weekend that federal immigration officers will arrest and detain illegal immigrants regardless of their criminal status, following a report that only the “worst of the worst” would be targeted nationwide. asserted
worst → insist → worst
“This is false,” the DHS wrote in a post late Saturday. asserted
DHS → write → post
We will continue to arrest any and all illegal aliens that come into our path. asserted
that → continue → path
Anyone in our country illegally will be arrested and deported. asserted
Anyone → arrest → country
“In an effort to protect American citizens, ICE has initiated a nationwide public safety surge in sanctuary cities where our brave officers will be targeting criminal illegal aliens—many released from jails by sanctuary politicians—including murderers, rapists, child predators, and gang members,” the DHS stated. asserted
DHS → protect → murderers
The department’s public response came a day after a media report cited multiple ICE officers who claimed having been told only to arrest illegal immigrants with criminal charges or convictions moving forward. asserted
who → come → charges
Even illegal immigrants who have been ordered deported by an immigration judge but hold no criminal history would be exempt from arrest, according to the Daily Wire. uncertain
who → order → Wire
President Donald Trump vowed to go after the most dangerous illegal immigrants in the United States upon taking office and launching the nation’s “largest-ever” deportation operation. However, White House border czar Tom Homan warned in late 2024 that collateral arrests would take place when ICE personnel pull over a suspected illegal immigrant while driving or at a business and encounter other people at the site. asserted
arrests → vow → site
Those determined to be residing in the country illegally would also be taken into custody and face deportation. asserted
Those → determine → deportation
As of mid-2026, 70% of the roughly 65,000 illegal immigrants detained by ICE awaiting deportation proceedings in court as of July did not have a criminal conviction, according to court data analyzed by the Transnational Records Access Clearinghouse in Syracuse, New York. uncertain
% → detain → Syracuse
ICE has operated under the Trump administration without a confirmed director. asserted
ICE → operate → director
The federal agency has not had a Senate-confirmed leader since the end of the Obama administration, about 15 years ago. asserted
agency → have → administration
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