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Two million illegal immigrants “have been removed or have self-deported” from the United States since Jan. 20, putting the Trump administration on pace to break records, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced.
In less than 250 days, an estimated 1.6 million illegal immigrants have voluntarily self-deported, while 400,000 were removed by federal law enforcement, the DHS said this week, describing the situation as a “new milestone.”
“The Trump administration is on pace to shatter historic records and deport nearly 600,000 illegal aliens by the end of President Donald Trump’s first year since returning to office,” the department said. “DHS has made it clear: the era of open borders is over. For four straight months, United States Customs and Border Protection has released zero illegal aliens into the country.”
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said the numbers prove “President Trump’s policies and Secretary [Kristi] Noem’s leadership are working and making American communities safe.”
ICE DETAINERS IN TOP SANCTUARY CITY HAVE SKYROCKETED UNDER TRUMP COMPARED TO BIDEN’S 4-YEAR TERM: DHS
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt released an image on X earlier this year, announcing: “deportation flights have begun.” (White House)
“Ramped-up immigration enforcement targeting the worst of the worst is removing more and more criminal illegal aliens off our streets every day and is sending a clear message to anyone else in this country illegally: Self-deport or we will arrest and deport you,” she added.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has received more than 150,000 job applications in recent weeks, with all new job gains going to Americans since Trump took office, according to the DHS.
OPINION: TRUMP IS TARGETING NONVIOLENT AND LEGAL IMMIGRANTS. AMERICANS ARE STARTING TO NOTICE
Deported individuals from the U.S. arrive on a flight at Simon Bolivar International Airport in Maiquetia, Venezuela, on March 24, 2025. (Bloomberg/Getty Images)
“Deportation capacity continues to ramp up as Secretary Noem negotiates new detention facilities such as Alligator Alcatraz, Speedway Slammer, Cornhusker Clink, and Louisiana Lockup,” the department also said. “All of these successes will make arresting, detaining, and deporting illegal aliens more efficient and streamlined than ever before — paving the way to continue the surge in deportations.”
Just days into Trump’s second term in office, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt declared, “deportation flights have begun,” releasing photos of migrants boarding military aircraft.
President Donald Trump, left, speaks with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, right, in Florida in July 2025. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/Getty Images)
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“President Trump is sending a strong and clear message to the entire world: if you illegally enter the United States of America, you will face severe consequences,” she said at the time.