WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that approximately two million individuals residing in the United States illegally have departed the country since President Donald Trump assumed office, signaling what officials describe as a significant achievement in enforcing immigration laws.
According to a DHS news release, roughly 1.6 million of those departures were voluntary self-deportations, while more than 400,000 involved formal deportations. The department indicated it is on pace to reach 600,000 deportations by the end of Trump’s first year back in office.
“The numbers don’t lie: two million illegal aliens have been removed or self-deported in just 250 days,” Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said. “These figures demonstrate that President Trump’s policies, combined with Secretary Noem’s leadership, are effectively making American communities safer.”
McLaughlin highlighted the administration’s focus on targeting criminal illegal immigrants. “Ramped-up immigration enforcement aimed at the most dangerous individuals is removing more and more criminal illegal aliens from our streets every day, sending a clear message: self-deport or face arrest and removal,” she said.
The DHS release also noted that for four consecutive months, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has reported “zero illegal aliens released into the country,” signaling a tightening of border control measures. The release cited a United Nations report indicating a 97 percent reduction in illegal immigration from Central America, with nearly half of those who abandoned efforts to enter the U.S. attributing their decision to the Trump administration’s immigration policies.
The work, however, remains fraught with challenges. On Monday, two illegal immigrants reportedly attempted to resist custody in Texas. According to the New York Post, 29-year-old Juan Carmen Padron Mendez allegedly tried to choke a female Border Patrol agent while being transported, while 23-year-old Juan Carlos Padron Barron attempted to assist. Both men were arrested and now face federal charges including assault, resisting arrest, and impeding a federal officer.
“The Southern District of Texas has zero tolerance for those who assault law enforcement,” U.S. Attorney Nicholas Ganjei said. “If you lay a hand on an officer, deputy, or federal agent, SDTX will pursue the full extent of the law. Consider this your warning.”
Political obstacles further complicate enforcement. Last week, DHS pressed California, Illinois, and New York to honor Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainers for criminal illegal immigrants. While California did not respond, Illinois and New York formally rejected the requests, challenging the department’s efforts to ensure custody of criminal aliens prior to release from local detention facilities.
“These sanctuary policies, combined with measures like cashless bail for serious offenses, place criminal illegal aliens back into communities, endangering American citizens,” McLaughlin said. She added that ICE detainers are “simple requests” asking states to notify the agency when criminal illegal aliens are released, allowing ICE to assume custody before they return to the streets. “Sanctuary state politicians should side with law-abiding Americans, not with criminal illegal aliens,” she concluded.