U.S. Administration Claims Millions of Migrants Have Left as Deportation Efforts Expand

U.S. Administration Claims Millions of Migrants Have Left as Deportation Efforts Expand
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The Trump administration says nearly two million undocumented migrants have been removed or have left the United States over the past year, according to remarks delivered by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and reported by Khaama Press. The figure has drawn questions from analysts, who note that it far exceeds official removal statistics published by federal agencies.

Noem told a cabinet meeting on Wednesday that restricting illegal immigration remains a central government priority. She said Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has hired 10,000 additional officers who will begin nationwide operations within days to speed up deportations.

Since returning to office in January 2025, President Trump has reinstated a series of strict immigration policies, including expanded detention measures, heightened border enforcement, and a renewed travel ban affecting citizens of 19 countries. The White House this week released a photo of Trump at the U.S.–Mexico border wall, pledging continued “large-scale deportations.”

ICE’s public data, however, reports significantly lower numbers—about 320,000 deportations last year, including 56,000 removals in October and November. Experts say the administration’s two-million estimate likely includes individuals who departed the country voluntarily. Immigration tensions escalated following a recent incident in which an Afghan migrant shot two National Guard soldiers near the White House, prompting Trump to freeze all Afghan immigration cases and order a full review of recent arrivals.