> At a Glance
> – Dallas ICE officers arrested 12,000 people in the first 10 months of 2025, double the same period in 2024
> – 62% of those detained had no criminal convictions
> – Brian Villalta-Ramos, an asylum seeker without a record, was detained during a routine ICE check-in
> – Why it matters: The surge in non-criminal arrests is reshaping immigration enforcement across North Texas
Immigration arrests by Dallas-based ICE officers have more than doubled under the Trump administration’s second term, yet most detainees have no criminal record, a News Of Fort Worth analysis shows.
Record-Breaking Arrest Pace
Between January and October 2025, Dallas ICE agents arrested 12,000 people-a 100% increase over the same span in 2024. The pace has overwhelmed local detention facilities and sent many detainees to out-of-state centers.
Inside One Detention
Brian Villalta-Ramos, 29, arrived in Dallas from El Salvador in 2024 with his girlfriend and her two daughters. All four promptly filed asylum claims, meeting the federal one-year deadline.
In October 2025 he kept a required ICE appointment despite relatives urging him to stay away. During that visit he was arrested. Villalta-Ramos has:
- No criminal history
- No pending charges
- Been held in a Georgia detention center ever since
Data Breakdown
| Category | Share of 2025 Dallas ICE Arrests |
|---|---|
| No conviction | 62% |
| With conviction | 38% |
Key Takeaways
- Dallas ICE arrests doubled in 10 months
- Nearly two-thirds of those picked up have clean records
- Routine check-ins now carry arrest risk
- Detainees increasingly shipped to out-of-state facilities
The numbers mark a clear shift toward broader enforcement well beyond those with prior criminal convictions.
