Over 480,000 illegal immigrants arrested by DHS since start of Trump admin—70% have prior criminal charges, convictions

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced on Monday that in the first nine months of the Trump administration, her department has made nearly 500,000 arrests of illegal immigrants, the majority of which have criminal charges and/or convictions.

"Today marks nine months since President Trump has been in office and since he began his work to restore American safety for our families that live here. What he has accomplished for the American people is nothing short of extraordinary. We appreciate what he has done to make us safe again, to secure our borders and to make sure that he’s protecting our people."

Noem said that since January, the DHS has "arrested over 480,000 criminal illegal aliens, 70 percent of those individuals have criminal charges against them or have been convicted of those criminal charges."

"Across the country, we’re making communities safer so that families can thrive and they can prosper and they can enjoy the kind of freedom that this country was established to provide."

Noem cited a recent Harvard Harris poll during her Monday address, which found that 78 percent of Americans support deporting illegal immigrants who have committed crimes, and 56 percent of Americans support deporting all migrants in the US illegally. 

Among those arrested in Florida, where she gave her Monday address, were Cuban national Erick Carlos Artiles Ramos, who had been convicted of homicide, kidnapping, driving under the influence, and robbery armed carjacking; El Salvadorian national Oscar Alfredo Retana Marroquin, who had previously been convicted of sexual assault of a child and driving under the influence; and Mexican national Arturo Sanchez Morales, who has convictions for lewd or lascivious acts with a minor, incest with a minor, and driving under the influence.