DHS does not publish a narrow formal checklist; its “worst of the worst” label is applied to noncitizens ICE says were arrested/removed who have criminal charges or convictions for serious offenses (homicide, sexual offenses, child cruelty, assault, drug trafficking, gang membership, foreign fugitives, terrorism or human‑rights abuses) — in practice the designation is DHS/ICE publicity language and the agency’s Worst‑of‑the‑Worst (WOW) database lists individuals and their convictions rather than a statutory criteria table.
The 70% figure is a DHS/ICE statistic repeatedly cited in DHS press releases and the WOW launch messaging (DHS states “70% of ICE arrests are of criminal illegal aliens charged or convicted”); ICE publishes arrest and removal statistics publicly (ERO arrest/removal reports and datasets), but DHS/ICE have not published a single analytic source document showing the exact calculation used to derive the 70% figure in those press releases.
Public DHS/ICE releases list the named individuals’ convictions (DHS press release lists them as “convicted”); whether convictions occurred in U.S. criminal courts vs. foreign courts varies by case and is not fully documented in the press release — custody/removal status is not consistently detailed in the release either. For definitive records you must check local court dockets and ICE case pages or FOIA; the DHS press release itself does not provide court case numbers or up‑to‑date custody/removal status.
After an ICE arrest of the type described, two streams typically follow: (1) criminal justice process — if the person is charged with state or federal crimes they proceed through local/state/federal court (prosecution, trial, conviction/sentencing); and (2) civil immigration enforcement — ICE/ERO initiates immigration proceedings (detention, notice to appear or reinstatement of removal, removal proceedings before an immigration judge, possible appeals or bond requests) and, if ordered removed, administrative deportation/execution of removal. Criminal prosecution and immigration processes can occur in parallel or sequentially.
The WOW.DHS.Gov site publishes case‑level entries that give name, country of origin, arrest location, and the criminal convictions/charges listed by ICE; entries are focused summaries and do not include full charging or court records, underlying evidence, case numbers, or comprehensive custody timelines — for fuller records users must consult local court databases, ICE case portals or FOIA requests.
ICE coordinates with local law enforcement through existing partnerships and mechanisms: information sharing, local arrests and detainer requests (287(g), Warrant Service Officer programs), joint task forces, and referrals of criminal records to ERO; coordination practices vary by jurisdiction (some localities limit cooperation or refuse federal detainers), and DHS/ICE press releases picture cooperative removals but do not provide case‑level coordination details.
The press release quotes an unnamed “DHS Spokesperson”; it does not identify the individual. The release attributes enforcement direction to President Trump and Secretary Kristi Noem (stating they “unleashed ICE” and that removals occur “under Secretary Noem’s leadership”); operational authority over ICE resides with DHS leadership (Secretary) and ICE leadership, but routine arrest decisions are carried out by ICE/ERO and local prosecutors for criminal charges.