ICE Announces Arrests of Five Individuals Classified as "Worst of the Worst" Criminal Illegal Aliens

DHS/ICE have not published a formal, legal definition or checklist for labeling someone “worst of the worst.” In practice, the designation is a political/communications label used in DHS press releases and on the WOW.DHS.GOV site for non‑citizens who:

• Have been arrested by ICE and are believed to be removable under immigration law; and
• Have serious or multiple criminal charges/convictions (for example homicide, rape or sexual assault of a minor, armed robbery, aggravated assault, or serious weapons/drug crimes), sometimes with alleged gang or terrorism ties.

Reviews of the WOW database also show that ICE applies the label inconsistently, sometimes including people with non‑violent or lesser offenses, which reinforces that it is not a strictly defined legal category but a discretionary branding choice by DHS/ICE.

The January 15, 2026 ICE press release itself does not specify the timeframe or baseline for the claim that assaults on federal officers are up “more than 1,300%.”

However, an earlier DHS release on assaults against ICE officers (November 24, 2025) states that from Jan. 21–Nov. 21, 2024 there were 19 reported assaults, and in the same Jan. 21–Nov. 21, 2025 period there were 238 assaults—an increase of about 1,153%. DHS has since reused and rounded up this talking point (to “more than 1,150%” and then “more than 1,300%”) in later statements, but has not published updated underlying numbers for the 1,300% figure.

So the only clearly documented comparison period and baseline on record is Jan. 21–Nov. 21, 2025 versus the same dates in 2024, with a 1,153% increase; the precise timeframe and baseline for the later “1,300%” claim remain unspecified.

For the individuals named in this ICE release, two parallel tracks are typical:

1. Criminal process (if any open cases):

   • If they still face pending criminal charges or are serving sentences, state or federal criminal authorities retain primary custody until those cases are resolved.
   • ICE often uses detainers or coordination so that once criminal custody ends, the person is transferred directly to ICE.

2. Immigration process (removal):

   • All are described as “criminal illegal aliens,” meaning ICE believes they are removable. Once ICE has custody, they can be placed into removal (deportation) proceedings before an immigration judge, or—if they already have a final order—removed without new hearings.

The January 15, 2026 release does not give case‑by‑case custody details, but under standard practice these people will be subject to immigration proceedings and/or execution of existing removal orders, in addition to any remaining criminal court obligations.

ICE verifies nationality and criminal history primarily through law‑enforcement and immigration databases, official records, and biometrics:

• Biographic & biometric checks: When someone is booked, their fingerprints and photos are run through DHS and FBI databases (IDENT/HART, NCIC, etc.), which contain immigration records, prior encounters, and criminal history tied to specific identities and nationalities.
• Immigration records: ICE pulls the person’s “A‑file” and DHS/CBP records (visas, border entries, prior asylum or deportation cases), which list claimed or documented citizenship.
• Criminal records: Criminal convictions are verified using official “rap sheets” and court records from state and federal systems that are accessible to law enforcement.
• Consular/foreign‑government confirmation: In contested or unclear cases, ICE may request confirmation of nationality from foreign consulates before issuing travel documents for removal.

These processes do not eliminate risk of error, but they are the standard mechanisms ICE uses to document nationality and criminal conviction status.

Oversight and review of ICE arrests and of the “Worst of the Worst” initiative operates through a mix of internal DHS mechanisms, external watchdogs, and courts, but there is no special, separate legal oversight regime created just for “Worst of the Worst” cases:

• Internal DHS/ICE oversight: ICE’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) investigates employee misconduct and reviews operations; Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) has custody‑management and inspection units for detention and arrest practices.
• Department‑level watchdogs: The DHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducts audits, inspections, and investigations of ICE, including unannounced inspections of detention facilities and reviews of enforcement practices, and reports findings to Congress and the public.
• Civil rights oversight: DHS’s Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL) and Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman (OIDO) receive complaints about abuses, discrimination, and detention conditions and can investigate or recommend corrective action.
• Courts and litigation: Individual ICE arrests and removals, including for people featured on the WOW site, can be challenged in immigration court and in federal court (e.g., habeas petitions, civil‑rights suits), which provide case‑specific external review.

The WOW.DHS.GOV “Worst of the Worst” page itself is a DHS communications product that republishes information about arrests and convictions, and it is subject to the same general oversight (OIG, CRCL, privacy and records rules), not a bespoke statutory review process.

Non‑citizens arrested by ICE or other U.S. authorities retain several key protections, even though immigration proceedings are civil, not criminal:

• Due process & hearings: In formal removal (deportation) proceedings under INA §240, non‑citizens have the right to a hearing before an immigration judge, to present evidence, examine government evidence, and appeal adverse decisions to the Board of Immigration Appeals and federal courts.
• Access to counsel (at own expense): INA §240(b)(4)(A) states that respondents “shall have the privilege of being represented, at no expense to the Government, by counsel of the alien’s choosing” in immigration court. There is no general right to a government‑funded attorney, but people may hire attorneys or seek pro bono representation.
• Notice of charges and access to records: Non‑citizens must be served with a Notice to Appear outlining the grounds for removal and, under INA §240(b)(4)(B), must be allowed access to non‑confidential records the government uses about their admission or presence.
• Consular notification and access: Under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and implementing ICE policy, detained foreign nationals must be informed of their right to contact their consulate (and for some nationalities, consulates must be notified automatically), and consular officials must be allowed to assist them.
• Criminal‑case rights (if also prosecuted): If they face U.S. criminal charges, they have the full constitutional protections of criminal defendants (right to counsel, jury trial, confrontation, etc.) in that separate process.

These protections apply regardless of immigration status, although in practice access to counsel and effective use of these rights can be limited by detention, language, and resource constraints.