Trump Administration Deportation Summary
A New York Times analysis of federal data indicates that the Trump administration has deported approximately 230,000 individuals arrested inside the country and an additional 270,000 at the border over the past year. Since Mr. Trump took office, the number of deportations from interior arrests has exceeded the total during the Biden administration's entire four-year term. However, the overall total of 540,000 deportations since Mr. Trump assumed office is fewer than the totals recorded in the last two years of the Biden administration, which saw 590,000 deportations in 2023 and 650,000 in 2024. This discrepancy is partly due to a decrease in people attempting to cross the Southwest border, resulting in fewer border arrests and deportations compared to preceding years. An additional 40,000 individuals returned to their countries through a "self-deportation" program facilitated by an administration app.
Defining Deportation
The counting of deportations is complex due to the absence of a specific legal definition. The New York Times used data from various government sources to estimate deportations and broader repatriations. Deportations are carried out by both Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), responsible for interior enforcement, and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which manages borders, airports, and other entry points. In some instances, both agencies are involved. Some individuals may be denied entry to the United States and turned away with minimal penalty, which constitutes a repatriation rather than a formal deportation.
For a period estimated from January 20, 2025, to January 20, 2026, based on publicly released data, deportations were categorized as:
- 230,000 individuals deported by ICE after being arrested inside the country.
- 120,000 individuals directly deported or denied entry at the border by CBP.
- 150,000 individuals deported by ICE after being arrested at the border.
- 40,000 individuals who "self-deported" via a CBP app.
- 70,000 repatriations of crew on ships not allowed to disembark.
Border-crosser deportations represent approximately half of the total. About 14% of these individuals were in detention awaiting immigration proceedings before the Trump administration began. Homeland Security officials previously stated that over 622,000 people were deported under Mr. Trump, but a detailed breakdown has not been provided, and the department's statistics division has not published its routine reports since the administration began.
Shifts in Immigration Enforcement
Under the Trump administration, immigration arrests and deportations have become more visible and impactful within communities. The administration actively publicized its enforcement activities. Historically, ICE largely conducted arrests in collaboration with local jails and prisons, taking custody of immigrants already arrested by other law enforcement agencies.
While arrests at jails and prisons increased over the past year, the growth in "at-large" arrests—apprehensions of immigrants in public spaces, courthouses, homes, and businesses—was more significant. These "at-large" arrests quadrupled to approximately 150,000, constituting a majority of immigration arrests in 32 states and Washington, D.C. Such arrests were particularly prevalent in states like California, Illinois, and New York, where local laws restrict jails and prisons from transferring individuals to ICE custody.
Demographics of Deported Individuals
The monthly rate of deportations to most countries globally has risen, though the rate has decreased for some Central American nations. The deportation rate for individuals with a violent criminal conviction or other criminal records has doubled. For those with no criminal record, the deportation rate has increased more than sixfold. This shift is partly attributed to the Trump administration's revocation of temporary legal status for millions who entered the country legally under previous policies, instructing them to leave or face deportation.
Impact on Immigrant Population
Experts generally agree that the Trump administration's policies have initiated a reduction in the undocumented immigrant population, but there is disagreement regarding the extent of this decrease and whether the larger overall immigrant population is still growing. Before Mr. Trump's term, the number of people in the country without legal status or with temporary protection was rapidly increasing, estimated at 14 million in 2024.
Homeland Security officials claimed that over 2.5 million people have left the country due to the administration's enforcement efforts, a figure disputed by immigration experts and demographers. A Congressional Budget Office report indicated a decrease of about 360,000 in the undocumented population last year, while the overall foreign-born population increased by about 400,000 in 2025. Another study estimated a decrease between 10,000 and 295,000 in the total foreign-born population in 2025.