U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is pushing back hard on media reports that President Trump has unleashed a mean-spirited national raid on immigrants, noting that it rounded up over 350 percent more during one sweep under former President Obama.

In a series of tweets, ICE called the reports, in the Washington Post and elsewhere, "dangerous and irresponsible."

The agency this week said that had made 683 arrests of mostly criminal illegal immigrants, or those with multiple cases against them beyond illegally crossing the border.

#TBT April 2012: ICE arrests more than 3,100 convicted criminal aliens & immigration fugitives in nationwide ophttps://t.co/Khqlk6WGBq pic.twitter.com/t0unWHpe8J — ICE (@ICEgov) February 16, 2017



To make its point, ICE tweeted out a "Throwback Thursday" story from 2012 during which 3,168 illegals were rounded up in a sweep that drew little media complaints and coverage.

In a series of tweets, ICE hit the coverage and pro-immigration groups:

Reports of ICE checkpoints and sweeps or “roundups” are false, dangerous and irresponsible. — ICE (@ICEgov) February 16, 2017



"Reports of ICE checkpoints and sweeps or "roundups" are false, dangerous and irresponsible," said one.

These reports create mass panic and put communities and law enforcement personnel in unnecessary danger. — ICE (@ICEgov) February 16, 2017



"These reports create mass panic and put communities and law enforcement personnel in unnecessary danger," said another.

Any groups falsely reporting such activities are doing a disservice to those they claim to support. — ICE (@ICEgov) February 16, 2017



"Any groups falsely reporting such activities are doing a disservice to those they claim to support," added a third.

Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner's "Washington Secrets" columnist, can be contacted at pbedard@washingtonexaminer.com