ICE Deportations Hit Record High in 2026: 483,200 Removed From US

• ICE reports a record 483,200 deportations during fiscal year 2026.

• Immigration arrests reach nearly 475,000, another agency record.

• Deaths during immigration enforcement operations intensify scrutiny of ICE.

ICE deportations reached a record high in fiscal year 2026, with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement removing 483,200 people from the United States and making nearly 475,000 administrative immigration arrests, according to figures released by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The figures represent the highest annual totals reported in ICE’s 23-year history, according to the EFE news agency, reflecting the expansion of immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump’s administration.

The reporting period covers October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026, when federal authorities intensified operations aimed at locating, detaining, and deporting immigrants.

ICE Deportations Break Previous Record Set in 2025

The 483,200 deportations reported for fiscal year 2026 surpassed the previous ICE record of 442,640 in fiscal year 2025, representing an increase of approximately 9%.

DHS emphasized that the number of deportations carried out in 2026 was «practically equivalent» to the combined total recorded during three full fiscal years of former President Joe Biden’s administration.

Between fiscal years 2022 and 2024, ICE reported approximately 486,000 deportations, slightly more than the total recorded during fiscal year 2026 alone.

Federal officials cited the comparison to emphasize the scale of immigration enforcement under Trump, although the newly released figures do not include a detailed breakdown of the people deported or their criminal histories.

ICE Immigration Arrests Surge in September 2026

ICE also reported a record number of administrative immigration arrests during fiscal year 2026, with approximately 475,000 people detained for suspected violations of US immigration laws.

According to DHS, this was the highest annual total in the agency’s history, reflecting an increase in immigration enforcement operations across the country.

September was particularly active, with more than 48,000 immigration arrests and approximately 44,000 deportations reported during the month.

DHS said September’s arrest total represented an increase of more than 300% compared with the average for September during the Biden administration, although the comparison reflects the agency’s reported figures.

Trump Administration Defends Record ICE Deportations

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin praised ICE’s performance and said he was «proud» of the work carried out by federal immigration officers.

«ICE patriots work tirelessly to make America safe again,» Mullin said in a statement cited by EFE.

Mullin credited Trump’s leadership for the increase in immigration enforcement and said the agency had expanded its ability to locate and remove people without legal immigration status.

DHS also claimed that more than three million migrants had left the United States since Trump returned to office, although the figure includes both government-enforced deportations and other departures.

As of October, the administration reported approximately 1.2 million deportations and more than 1.25 million immigration arrests since Trump’s return to the White House, according to DHS figures.

ICE Deportation Record Raises Scrutiny After Deaths During Enforcement Operations

The increase in immigration enforcement has also sparked criticism and public scrutiny, particularly following deaths involving federal immigration officers and people held in immigration custody during fiscal year 2026.

Among the deaths highlighted by EFE were those of US citizens Renée Good and Alex Pretti, as well as immigrants Lorenzo Salgado Araujo and Joan Sebastian Guerrero.

These incidents have intensified scrutiny of federal immigration enforcement practices, including the use of force, detention conditions, and accountability for deaths connected to immigration operations.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration continues to defend its deportation strategy, even as lawmakers and independent researchers call for greater transparency about ICE’s enforcement statistics and practices.

Source: EFE news agency, November 12, 2026, with figures and statements from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).