A new open records from Fox News has revealed that of the of 9,527 inmates in Harris County Jail, 1,170, about 1 in 10, have ICE holds.
This is based on data for September 2024, and over 43% for these ICE detainers are for cases involving violent crimes, including 75 murders, with 22 classified as capital murder. This includes the two Venezuelan migrants charged with the murder of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray. Houston crime victims advocate April Aguirre wishes she could be surprised.
"I absolutely am disgusted, and I am not surprised. This data is very difficult for us to detain," Aguirre said. "It's hard for us to see how staggering these numbers are, but it goes to show what our community is going through.
Aguirre has been trying to get the numbers herself, for years.
"They are not forthcoming. There are some FOIA requests that are out there that are two years old," Aguirre stated. "They don't want this narrative out there.
Aguirre is the daughter of two immigrants herself.
"The immigrants that are getting through the border have no respect for this country's laws," Aguirre said.