In recent weeks, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas has recorded a significant increase in immigration-related criminal cases. In a press release from January 9, U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons announced the filing of 735 new cases involving immigration violations and offenses related to illegal immigration in the period between December 19, 2025, and January 8, 2026.

The release highlights a focus on “illegal aliens with past convictions for violent crimes and DWIs, as well as alleged human smugglers and aliens with multiple prior removals.” It provides specific examples from the El Paso division, reporting incidents at the Bridge of the Americas. While the prosecutor’s office emphasizes individuals with criminal histories, many of the immigration-related cases filed do not involve defendants with prior U.S. criminal convictions. These cases are therefore often based on overstayed visas or other forms of unlawful presence. In the Western District, criminal prosecutions frequently involve illegal entry offenses, even when defendants have no prior criminal record beyond immigration-related violations.

National and regional statistics confirm the overall shift toward a higher share of detainees without criminal convictions. According to TRAC data as of November 30, of the 65,735 people in ICE detention, 73.6% (48,377 individuals) have no criminal convictions, including minor offenses such as traffic violations. Texas accounts for about 17,696 detainees (roughly 27% of the national total), with a significant portion of the growth coming from this non-criminal category.

By January 7, the number of people in ICE detention reached a new record of 68,990, which is 3,255 more than at the end of November. At the same time, 92% of the growth in FY2026 comes from individuals with no criminal convictions (72%) or at most pending charges (20%), while only 8% is from people with convictions.

A similar pattern emerges in North Texas, where an analysis by the Dallas Morning News concluded that 62% of those arrested by ICE during the first nine months of 2025 had no criminal record—up from 44% in 2024 and 60% nationwide in 2025.

The data indicate a noticeable decrease in apprehensions along the Southwest border between October and November 2025, as authorities detained only 7,350 individuals there, compared with 60,940 nationwide. This has enabled redirecting resources toward interior enforcement of U.S. immigration law. As a result, enforcement now covers a much broader group than just high-priority criminal aliens.

Increased funding for detention capacity and the expansion of the 287(g) program—which empowers local authorities with immigration-related enforcement—are expected to drive further growth. As of mid-January 2026, more than 160 sheriff’s offices in Texas have adopted the program in accordance with Senate Bill 8, which mandates participation for counties with populations over 100,000 by the end of 2026.