ICE Misses Trump's Deportation Target in First Full Year

Despite a rise in removals, the total number fell short of the former president's campaign promise of 1 million deportations per year.

Apr. 15, 2026 at 4:51pm

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A dynamic, abstract painting featuring an ICE deportation van repeated in overlapping, geometric shapes and waves of dark blue, grey, and red, conveying a sense of motion and urgency around the administration's immigration enforcement actions.A fractured, kinetic illustration captures the chaotic pace of ICE deportation efforts under the Trump administration.Washington Today

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deported 442,637 individuals between October 2024 and September 2025, according to data from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). This figure represents a significant increase compared to the previous fiscal year, but falls far short of the 1 million deportations per year promised by former President Donald Trump during his campaign.

Why it matters

The data demonstrates the challenges the Trump administration has faced in meeting its aggressive deportation targets, even as it has expanded enforcement operations, prioritized removals, tightened border security, and restricted legal migration. The figures also highlight the ongoing debate over immigration policy and funding levels as lawmakers assess the administration's budget requests and immigration agenda.

The details

Nearly 38% of those deported, about 167,000 people, had criminal records, including individuals with convictions or pending charges. ICE has characterized its enforcement strategy as focused on the 'worst of the worst,' a phrase repeatedly used by Trump officials to describe efforts to target immigrants with criminal histories. However, Newsweek has revealed dozens of cases of immigrants without criminal records who have been detained by federal immigration agents.

  • The data covers the period from October 2024 to September 2025, the first full set of official deportation statistics released during Trump's second term.
  • In October 2025, after the fiscal year ended, border czar Tom Homan said ICE expected more than 600,000 deportations by 2026.

The players

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

The federal law enforcement agency responsible for enforcing immigration laws in the United States.

Donald Trump

The former president of the United States who campaigned on a promise to deport 1 million undocumented immigrants per year.

Tom Homan

The former border czar who stated that ICE expected more than 600,000 deportations by 2026.

Ariel G Ruiz Soto

A senior policy analyst at the nonpartisan think tank Migration Policy Institute (MPI) who provided analysis on the deportation data.

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What they’re saying

“Combined, these trends demonstrate two key points: first, that the number of removals in FY 2025 were far lower than the Trump administration campaign target of a million deportations per year; and second, that the vast majority of immigrants removed by ICE were not the worst of the worst given that other than being in the country without a lawful status, they did not have a criminal conviction of pending charge.”

— Ariel G Ruiz Soto, Senior Policy Analyst

What’s next

The release of the data comes amid continued debate over immigration enforcement and funding levels, as lawmakers assess DHS's budget requests and the administration's immigration agenda heading into the next fiscal year.

The takeaway

The deportation figures highlight the challenges the Trump administration has faced in meeting its aggressive immigration enforcement goals, even as it has expanded operations and tightened border security. The data raises questions about the administration's targeting priorities and the impact of its policies on immigrant communities.