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White House Unveils Deportation Count For First Seven Months Of The Administration

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3 months ago

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The White House is touting its immigration enforcement record after announcing that nearly 350,000 deportations have taken place in the first seven months of President Trump’s return to office. Officials say the pace is setting the stage for the highest removal levels in more than a decade, part of a sweeping crackdown on illegal immigration that the administration insists is necessary to restore law and order.

According to figures released this week, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has carried out close to 200,000 deportations since January. Combined with removals conducted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and self-deportations, the total has climbed to about 350,000. Homeland Security officials framed the milestone as evidence that the President is delivering on his promise to stop what he has repeatedly called the “Democrat invasion.”

If current levels hold, ICE is on track to exceed 300,000 deportations by the end of the fiscal year, a number not seen since 2014 under President Obama. Back then, ICE reported about 316,000 removals. While the Trump administration’s total is striking, it still lags behind the stated goal of one million deportations annually.

Behind the record-setting pace, however, lie major challenges. Reuters recently reported that ICE has faced severe staffing shortages and burnout among officers as the agency attempts to carry out roughly 3,000 immigration arrests per day, far above the 300 daily seen under the prior administration. That increase has pulled resources away from other enforcement priorities and stretched detention facilities to capacity.

Arrests carried out by Immigration and Customs Enforcement have surged under President Trump, with the 21,000-employee agency reporting a more than 250% jump in average daily arrests this June compared to the same time last year. The pace slowed somewhat in July, but the administration is still touting the numbers as proof of its aggressive crackdown.

Speaking to Reuters, Trump’s border czar Tom Homan admitted that the extended hours and shifting of specialized agents have tested some within ICE. Still, he defended the moves, pointing to Trump’s January 20 declaration of a national emergency at the border.

“There’s some staff that would rather be doing other types of investigations, I get that, but the president declared a national emergency,” Homan said.

Homan, who has spent more than 30 years in immigration enforcement and helped launch ICE in 2003, suggested the strain on the workforce would ease as the agency brings on more personnel.

“I think morale is good. I think morale will get even better as we bring more resources on,” he said.

The White House insists the policy is working as intended. Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-NY) pointed to the figures as proof Trump is restoring order. “Nearly 350,000 deportations in 7 months. President Trump is delivering on his promise,” she wrote on X. Homeland Security officials echoed that sentiment, calling the latest count “just the beginning.”

For now, ICE remains under intense pressure to maintain its pace. With increased funding, expanded detention space, and political backing from the President, the agency is expected to continue its historic surge through the remainder of the year.

Whether it can sustain this level of enforcement—and whether the political cost will outweigh the benefits—remains a defining question for the Trump administration heading into 2026.

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