Murder Rates Plunge Amid Trump's Deportation Crackdown

Elite media ignores connection between reduced crime and immigration enforcement

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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President Donald Trump's efforts to deport criminal migrants have led to a sharp drop in national crime rates, including a 19% decline in homicides and a 20% drop in robberies across major U.S. cities. However, the mainstream media has failed to acknowledge the link between Trump's immigration policies and the falling crime statistics, instead claiming that experts are unsure of the reasons behind the crime decline.

Why it matters

This story highlights the disconnect between the Trump administration's claims about the benefits of its aggressive deportation policies and the mainstream media's reluctance to make that connection. It raises questions about the role of politics in how crime data is reported and analyzed, and the potential impacts of immigration enforcement on public safety.

The details

According to an internal Department of Homeland Security document, Trump's first year back in the White House saw nearly 400,000 arrests of criminal and non-criminal migrants, including over 2,100 with homicide charges or convictions, 2,700 with robbery offenses, and 5,400 with sexual assault charges. Border chief Kristi Noem has credited the President's leadership and the Department of Homeland Security's targeted immigration enforcement operations for driving the murder rate to a 125-year low, as well as a steep decline in fentanyl deaths.

  • In 2025, violent crime dropped sharply across America's biggest cities, according to new data.
  • On January 14, the White House posted a statement citing deportation-caused reductions in crime and rents, and gains in wages and employment.

The players

President Donald Trump

The President who has implemented aggressive deportation policies targeting criminal migrants, which have contributed to a sharp decline in national crime rates.

Kristi Noem

The Border chief who has credited Trump's leadership and the Department of Homeland Security's targeted immigration enforcement operations for driving down the murder rate and fentanyl deaths.

Karoline Leavitt

The White House spokeswoman who criticized the media's framing of the crime decline, arguing that Trump's border security and deportation of violent criminals is the driving factor.

Scott Jennings

A commentator who mocked the media's reluctance to attribute the crime drop to Trump's immigration policies.

Russell Contreras

An Axios reporter who has previously downplayed the link between immigrant arrests and homicides.

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What they’re saying

“President Trump securing the border, mobilizing federal law enforcement to arrest violent criminals, and deporting the worst of the worst illegal aliens is EXACTLY what's driving the massive drop in crime.”

— Karoline Leavitt, White House spokeswoman (Breitbart)

“Funny way of saying: 'Crime went down under Trump,'”

— Scott Jennings, Commentator (Breitbart)

“Under the leadership of @POTUS Trump, the murder rate has plunged to a 125-year low — with especially steep drops in cities where the @dhsgov law enforcement undertook targeted immigration enforcement and crime prevention operations. Our nation has also experienced a steep decline in fentanyl deaths, which have dropped over 30 percent … We are not going back to how things used to be!”

— Kristi Noem, Border chief (Breitbart)

What’s next

GOP candidates are using Noem's databases to show the arrests and deportations of migrants in their districts, potentially using this data to bolster their campaigns and policies around immigration enforcement.

The takeaway

This story highlights the political divide over the impact of Trump's aggressive deportation policies, with the administration touting the crime-reducing benefits while the mainstream media remains reluctant to make that connection. It underscores the need for objective, data-driven analysis of the complex relationship between immigration enforcement and public safety.