Trump Deportations Near 1 Million as Interior Enforcement Surges, Report Finds

Trump deportations reached approximately 980,000 during the first 18 months of his second term, according to an analysis by the Migration Policy Institute (MPI), highlighting the scale of the administration's immigration enforcement efforts.

The report found that deportations involving immigrants arrested inside the United States have increased significantly, even as unauthorized crossings at the US-Mexico border remain at historically low levels.

The analysis also identifies a shift in federal immigration enforcement: arrests made within US communities account for a growing share of deportations carried out by federal authorities.

The figures are MPI estimates based on government data, not a comprehensive official report from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which has not regularly published detailed enforcement statistics since January 2025.

Trump Deportations Reach 980,000, Including Voluntary Departures

A study by the MPI shows that in the first 18 months of his term, 980,000 migrants have been expelled, most from the border. Only 31% had a criminal record https://t.co/Tq0SYJxHSc https://t.co/H1YTDroPDJ

— EL PAÍS US (@el_paisus) October 22, 2026

Of the estimated 980,000 deportations, approximately 170,000 involved voluntary departure or voluntary return arrangements granted by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

According to MPI, the Trump administration has increasingly relied on these procedures to facilitate departures without requiring every case to proceed through the backlogged immigration court system.

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The report found that approximately 69% of deportations involved immigrants initially intercepted at the border, despite the sharp decline in unauthorized crossings.

Of those border-related deportations, approximately 340,000 involved individuals returned directly by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), while another 340,000 were initially detained at the border and later deported by ICE.

ICE Interior Arrests Account for Growing Share of Trump Deportations

Trump has deported almost a million people in his second term, according to report
https://t.co/Zv5DDXEfT4

— el Nuevo Herald (@elnuevoherald) October 23, 2026

Approximately 300,000 people, representing 31% of the estimated total, were initially arrested inside the United States before being deported, according to MPI.

The institute noted that this group likely includes immigrants who had lived in US communities for years, although the data do not establish the length of residence for every individual.

Deportations resulting from arrests within the country accounted for 28% of the total during 2025.

That share increased to 34% during the first half of 2026 and reached 39% in July, according to the institute's calculations.

Monthly Deportations Following Interior Arrests More Than Double

The pace of deportations following interior arrests has also accelerated. During the first three months of Trump's second term, these deportations averaged approximately 8,000 per month.

Between May and July 2026, that monthly average climbed to 19,000, an increase of 11,000 deportations, or approximately 138%.

These figures demonstrate the growing role of immigration enforcement within US communities, although they do not independently establish the legal circumstances or individual histories of everyone deported.

For immigrant families, the report provides a clearer picture of the administration's enforcement practices while underscoring the importance of distinguishing between immigration arrests, formal removals, returns, and voluntary departures.

Sources: Vanguardia, El Nuevo Heraldo