Federal Immigration Offense Sentences in the Northern District of Texas, FY2016–2025
1,985 people were sentenced for immigration offenses in the Northern District of Texas in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, which is 14% of the district's 14,591 sentenced people. The median prison term was 20 months, compared with 7 months for immigration offenses in all 94 federal districts together.
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Trends › Federal Prosecution Analysis › Federal Sentences in the Northern District of Texas, FY2016– › Immigration Offense: Northern District of Texas
In brief: 1,985 people were sentenced for immigration offenses in the Northern District of Texas in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, which is 14% of the district's 14,591 sentenced people. The median prison term was 20 months, compared with 7 months for immigration offenses in all 94 federal districts together.
This post uses the U.S. Sentencing Commission's records of 1,985 people sentenced in federal court in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. Acquittals and dismissals come from a second source, the Federal Judicial Center's records of 753,808 federal defendants whose cases ended in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. It is part of the Federal Prosecution Analysis series, which builds on Military Moves Toward Sentencing Guidelines to Mirror the Federal System. How the numbers were built: How the Federal Comparison Data Was Built.
A Longer Median Than the National Figure
1,970 of the 1,985 people (more than 99%) received a prison term, and 13 (less than 1%) received probation only. The median prison term was 20 months. A quarter received 33 months or more, and a quarter received 11 months or less.
In all 94 districts, 217,838 people were sentenced for immigration offenses, 95% were sent to prison, and the median was 7 months. The median for all offenses in this district was 60 months. These are terms imposed, not time served.
Most Cases Were One Guideline
The Sentencing Commission's "Immigration" offense type is mostly one guideline in this district. 1,855 people had §2L1.2 (Unlawfully Entering or Remaining in the United States) as the primary guideline.
58 people had §2L1.1 (Smuggling, Transporting, or Harboring an Unlawful Alien). 44 had §2L2.2 and 11 had §2L2.1, which cover offenses involving immigration documents.
Straight Pleas Were Common
1,973 of 1,985 (more than 99%) pleaded guilty, and 12 were convicted after a trial. The median prison term was 20 months after a guilty plea and 23 months after a trial.
Among the guilty pleas, 58% were straight pleas with no agreement, and 42% had a written plea agreement.
Where Sentences Fell Against the Range
The guideline range is the sentencing range calculated under the federal guidelines. 1,483 sentences (75%) were within it. 20 (1%) were below it at the government's request, and 214 (11%) were below it without a request.
260 sentences (13%) were above the range. Across all 94 districts, 62% of immigration sentences were within the range. For all offenses in this district, the figure was 62% as well. A mandatory minimum applied to 2 people.
Supervised Release, Fines, and History
1,581 people (80%) were ordered to serve supervised release after prison. The median term was 36 months, and 1 person received supervised release for life. A fine was ordered for 12 (less than 1%), and restitution for 6 (less than 1%).
15% were in the lowest criminal history category, and 6% were in the highest.
Yearly Counts
962 people were sentenced in fiscal years 2016 to 2019, and 1,023 in fiscal years 2020 to 2025. The yearly count ranges from 123 to 297. Yearly medians range from 16 months to 24 months.
Fiscal year 2025 has the highest count after 2018, and its median is the lowest in the table. The records do not show why.
| Fiscal year | People sentenced | Median prison | Pleaded guilty |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 202 | 21 months | 99% |
| 2017 | 229 | 19 months | more than 99% |
| 2018 | 297 | 18 months | more than 99% |
| 2019 | 234 | 18 months | 100% |
| 2020 | 181 | 18 months | 98% |
| 2021 | 147 | 24 months | 100% |
| 2022 | 157 | 24 months | 99% |
| 2023 | 140 | 24 months | 100% |
| 2024 | 123 | 24 months | 100% |
| 2025 | 275 | 16 months | more than 99% |
What the Records Do Not Show
The figures count only people who were convicted and sentenced. Acquittals and dismissals are not in them. Dyess AFB, Goodfellow AFB, and Sheppard AFB are in this district, but courts-martial are tried in military courts, not in this federal court.
How We Counted
Everyone sentenced in federal court in the Northern District of Texas (U.S. Sentencing Commission district label "Texas North") in fiscal years 2016 to 2025 whose offense type was "Immigration" (1,985). Offense types are the Commission's OFFGUIDE categories.
Federal fiscal years run from October 1 to September 30. No person, judge, or lawyer is identified in any of these records.
What to Keep in Mind
No parole in federal prison; credit for good conduct. Federal prison has no parole for crimes committed on or after November 1, 1987. A federal prisoner can earn up to 54 days of good conduct credit for each year of the sentence the judge imposed, which is about 15%. Some federal prisoners can also earn First Step Act time credits, but many offenses make a person ineligible. The numbers in this post are the sentences judges imposed, not the time people actually served.
Federal supervised release. Most federal prison sentences are followed by a term of supervised release that the judge sets as part of the sentence. A person who violates it can be sent back to prison. A court-martial cannot sentence anyone to supervision after release. Military parole and mandatory supervised release are decided later by a board, not by the judge at trial.
Who decides the sentence, and under what rules. Federal judges sentence every federal case. They must calculate the Sentencing Guidelines range, which is advisory, and must impose any mandatory minimum the statute requires unless an exception applies. In courts-martial, the accused could choose sentencing by members until the rules changed. For cases in which every guilty finding is for an offense committed after December 27, 2023, a military judge sentences alone, within sentencing parameters. Courts-martial tried in 2024 and later include both old-rule and new-rule cases, and the data cannot tell them apart.
Time periods. Federal numbers are by federal fiscal year (October 1 to September 30), based on the sentencing date. The military numbers are by trial date. Neither source has the date of the offense, so a change in law shows up in either data set gradually.
How life sentences and "time served" are counted. In the federal numbers, a life sentence is counted as 470 months, and any other sentence longer than 470 months is counted as just under 470 months. A sentence of "time served" is counted as one day (0.03 months). Averages are affected by these rules; medians much less.
Mandatory minimum sentences. Many federal statutes on drugs, images of child exploitation, child sex abuse, and firearms carry mandatory minimum prison terms. The UCMJ has mandatory minimums only for a few offenses (a dishonorable discharge or dismissal for rape and sexual assault, and life for premeditated murder). Federal sentences for these offenses are partly set by Congress, not by the judge.
Related Analysis
- Military Moves Toward Sentencing Guidelines to Mirror the Federal System (the background article)
- Federal Prosecution Analysis (all federal posts)
- How the Federal Comparison Data Was Built (sources and method)
- Federal Sentences in the Northern District of Texas, FY2016–2025 (overview)
- Federal Drug Trafficking Sentences in the Northern District of Texas, FY2016–2025 (same district, other offense type)
- Federal Firearms Sentences in the Northern District of Texas, FY2016–2025 (same district, other offense type)
- Federal Fraud, Theft, and Embezzlement Sentences in the Northern District of Texas, FY2016–2025 (same district, other offense type)
- Federal Robbery Sentences in the Northern District of Texas, FY2016–2025 (same district, other offense type)
- U.S. Sentencing Commission, Individual Offender Datafiles (source)
- Federal Judicial Center, Integrated Database (criminal defendants) (source)
About the author. Jocelyn C. Stewart is a retired Army JAG with more than 24 years of trying courts-martial and more than 200 jury trials. She hosts Where All The Bodies Are Buried and runs the Law Office of Jocelyn C. Stewart. This analysis is for education and information only. It is not legal advice, and every case is different.