DHS has not published a single, statutory “official” definition in the press release; on its WOW pages it frames “worst of the worst” as criminal noncitizens arrested by ICE with serious convictions (homicide, sexual offenses, drug trafficking, etc.), but DHS does not publish a formal checklist or legal threshold for the label in the press materials.
The “more than 670,000” number is a DHS/ICE aggregate removals claim reported in the release; DHS counts removals using its internal enforcement/removal tallies (which include formal removals such as expedited removals, orders of removal, and some returns processed by ICE/CBP). DHS does not explain the detailed breakdown in the release; for DHS definitions and historic breakdowns see DHS/ICE enforcement removals statistics.
DHS’s reference to "self-deportations" is not an established statutory category; in this and prior DHS messaging it refers to noncitizens who left the U.S. without formal removal by DHS (voluntary departures or migrants who exited after enforcement pressures). DHS has not published a transparent, independently verifiable methodology for the “north of 2 million” figure in the release.
ICE exercises arrest and removal authority under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) — e.g., sections authorizing arrest and removal of noncitizens found inadmissible or removable (INA §§ 236, 235, 237) — and implements expedited removal, detention, and removal proceedings. Due-process protections include access to immigration court hearings (bond hearings for some), right to counsel at one’s own expense, ability to apply for relief (asylum, cancellation, adjustment) and judicial review in federal court for many claims.
“Sanctuary” jurisdictions generally are state or local governments that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement (e.g., policies refusing to honor ICE civil detainers or barring use of local resources to enforce federal immigration law). Those limits can reduce ICE’s access to detained noncitizens and complicate local-federal information-sharing, but federal law still authorizes ICE arrests; effects vary by local policy and federal-state legal disputes.
Independent verification typically requires checking court and state criminal records, federal immigration court records (EOIR/Case Access), and state/local court dockets. FOIA requests to ICE/DHS, state court records, and PACER/federal court dockets are common sources to confirm named convictions and removals; the DHS WOW page sometimes links arrest locations but not full court files.
Oversight and review include DHS’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) audits/investigations, the Departmental appeals and federal courts (judicial review of removal and constitutional claims), and Congressional oversight (hearings, appropriations, investigations). Ongoing oversight occurs through OIG reports, GAO reviews, ICE internal reviews, and immigration court appeals.