Donald Trump’s second administration has seen approximately 980,000 immigrants forcibly removed or returned to their home countries over an 18-month period.
According to reports from the Washington Post and the Migration Policy Institute (MPI), the analysis by Mark Rosenblum, the former statistics chief at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), revealed these figures on July 22.
This count includes both formal removals, which carry significant administrative and criminal penalties for re-entry, and returns, which encompass voluntary departures and withdrawal of applications for entry.
Despite Trump’s pledge to deport 1 million immigrants annually, the actual figures for fiscal years 2025 and 2026 are estimated at 620,000 and 660,000, respectively.
These numbers represent an increase compared to the averages during the Biden and Trump’s first administration. However, MPI’s analysis of Freedom of Information Act data indicates that the annual average for formal removals is only about 380,000, falling short of the record high of 432,000 during the Obama administration and the administration's annual targets.
The Trump administration has increasingly utilized ICE’s voluntary departure and return measures to bypass formal immigration court procedures, resulting in a record approximately 170,000 cases in this category. The focus of enforcement has also shifted from border areas to inland regions, with the proportion of deportations from inland arrests rising sharply from 28% in 2025 to 39% by July 2026.
According to the report, 61% (about 390,000) of ICE’s deportation targets had lived in the U.S. for over two years, with 15% (about 90,000) having resided in the country for more than a decade.
Contrary to Trump’s emphasis on targeting the “worst criminals,” only 20% (about 190,000) of those deported had any criminal history. The proportion of criminals among formal removals was also low at 31%, significantly below the average of 44% from 2009 to 2021. Among those deported who had lived in the U.S. for over two years, 74% had no criminal record, and 61% of those who had been here for over a decade were also without any criminal history.
Meanwhile, regarding DHS claims that 3 million undocumented immigrants have been deported or voluntarily departed since Trump’s second term began, MPI estimates that the actual number of immigrants who have left after residing for over a year ranges between 790,000 and 1.9 million.
Concerns have been raised that government statistics may be exaggerated or that they could include lawful residents and citizens, and with detailed statistics not being officially released, critics from the hardline immigration sector have continued to express disappointment over Trump’s deportation record, according to the Washington Post.
According to reports from the Washington Post and the Migration Policy Institute (MPI), the analysis by Mark Rosenblum, the former statistics chief at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), revealed these figures on July 22.
This count includes both formal removals, which carry significant administrative and criminal penalties for re-entry, and returns, which encompass voluntary departures and withdrawal of applications for entry.
Despite Trump’s pledge to deport 1 million immigrants annually, the actual figures for fiscal years 2025 and 2026 are estimated at 620,000 and 660,000, respectively.
These numbers represent an increase compared to the averages during the Biden and Trump’s first administration. However, MPI’s analysis of Freedom of Information Act data indicates that the annual average for formal removals is only about 380,000, falling short of the record high of 432,000 during the Obama administration and the administration's annual targets.
The Trump administration has increasingly utilized ICE’s voluntary departure and return measures to bypass formal immigration court procedures, resulting in a record approximately 170,000 cases in this category. The focus of enforcement has also shifted from border areas to inland regions, with the proportion of deportations from inland arrests rising sharply from 28% in 2025 to 39% by July 2026.
According to the report, 61% (about 390,000) of ICE’s deportation targets had lived in the U.S. for over two years, with 15% (about 90,000) having resided in the country for more than a decade.
Contrary to Trump’s emphasis on targeting the “worst criminals,” only 20% (about 190,000) of those deported had any criminal history. The proportion of criminals among formal removals was also low at 31%, significantly below the average of 44% from 2009 to 2021. Among those deported who had lived in the U.S. for over two years, 74% had no criminal record, and 61% of those who had been here for over a decade were also without any criminal history.
Meanwhile, regarding DHS claims that 3 million undocumented immigrants have been deported or voluntarily departed since Trump’s second term began, MPI estimates that the actual number of immigrants who have left after residing for over a year ranges between 790,000 and 1.9 million.
Concerns have been raised that government statistics may be exaggerated or that they could include lawful residents and citizens, and with detailed statistics not being officially released, critics from the hardline immigration sector have continued to express disappointment over Trump’s deportation record, according to the Washington Post.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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