By Trey Foerster, Publisher
The Department of Homeland Security on Monday, Dec. 8, launched a new publicly searchable “Worst of the Worst” webpage identifying 10,000 noncitizens with serious criminal convictions, including 80 individuals located in Wisconsin, in what DHS says is an effort to increase transparency around immigration enforcement.
The database — covering all 50 states — highlights offenders convicted of crimes such as homicide, assault, rape, child molestation, drug trafficking, and armed robbery, marking a significant development in how federal immigration enforcement data is shared with the public.
According to DHS, the webpage is designed to allow Americans to see whether individuals with major criminal records have been arrested in their communities. Wisconsin’s data reflects a broad geographic spread, though with notable concentrations in select areas. Oxford accounts for the largest share at 35 individuals — 44 percent of the total — followed by Sturtevant with 14 individuals, or roughly 18 percent. Milwaukee and Kenosha each list five individuals. Other municipalities with one to three listed offenders include Madison, Fond du Lac, Wausau, Sheboygan, and Green Bay.
The Wisconsin subset also shows a clear pattern in countries of origin. Of the 80 individuals listed in the state, 51 — about 65 percent — are from Mexico, significantly more than any other country represented. Other countries with multiple offenders include Colombia (4), Ecuador (3), Venezuela (3), Nicaragua (3), Cuba (2), Honduras (2), and Guatemala (2). Additional countries represented by one individual each are Belize, El Salvador, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Burma, Laos, Peru, Nigeria, Montenegro, and the Philippines.
It remains unclear how often the webpage will be updated or whether future iterations will include additional contextual information. DHS officials have previously stated in public briefings that the effort is part of broader attempts to reassure communities that enforcement efforts prioritize individuals considered public-safety risks.
State and local officials have not yet widely commented on the Wisconsin-specific data. Immigration experts and criminal-justice researchers have noted that while the publication of such lists may address calls for transparency, it may also spark debate over how criminal data related to noncitizens is presented and interpreted. DHS has not indicated any parallel changes in enforcement strategy accompanying the website launch.
Members of the public can access the database directly through the DHS website. The agency says the list is limited to individuals with serious criminal convictions and is drawn from existing law enforcement records. No timeline was provided for potential expansions of the program.
