The numbers are in! ICE has deported nearly 200,000 people in the first seven months of the Trump administration’s second term. With a massive cash infusion on the horizon, the agency is set to supercharge its operations. Will this unprecedented funding accelerate removals even further?

Under the Trump administration’s second term, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has dramatically increased its deportation operations, with nearly 200,000 individuals removed within the first seven months, signaling a relentless pursuit of aggressive immigration enforcement policies.

This surge in removals positions the federal agency to achieve its highest deportation rate in over a decade, although it still falls short of the ambitious targets set by the administration. The total count, including repatriations by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Coast Guard, along with self-deportations, stands at close to 350,000 since January.

Considering prior removals from late 2024, ICE could exceed 300,000 deportations in fiscal year 2025. This figure harks back to the Obama administration’s peak in fiscal year 2014, when approximately 316,000 individuals were deported, underscoring the cyclical nature of heightened immigration enforcement periods.

The administration has mobilized various federal agencies, enhancing their presence in major U.S. cities, to bolster its nationwide immigration enforcement operations. CBP alone recorded over 132,000 deportations this year, alongside tracking some 17,500 voluntary departures, highlighting a multi-pronged approach to border security and interior enforcement.

Despite official statements from senior Homeland Security officials touting ‘historic progress’ in carrying out President Trump’s promise to address undocumented immigration, internal frustrations persist within the administration regarding the pace of immigration arrests. While these arrests have doubled compared to the previous administration, they consistently fall below the White House’s daily target of 3,000.

Looking ahead, ICE is poised to receive an unprecedented financial boost. A recently signed agenda bill will make ICE the most well-funded federal police force for the next four years, with nearly $75 billion allocated through 2029. This substantial federal funding is expected to supercharge existing operations and significantly enhance the agency’s capacity.

Approximately $45 billion of this windfall is earmarked for expanding immigration detention centers, while the remaining $30 billion will directly fund enforcement and removal efforts. This cash infusion will empower front-line ICE operations, enabling more aggressive arrests and efficient transportation of immigrants to detention facilities, signaling a robust future for the administration’s immigration policy.

Alongside enforcement, the Department of Homeland Security has also actively promoted voluntary departures through multimillion-dollar ad campaigns and financial incentives. Secretary Kristi Noem has publicly credited the president’s ‘strong message’ for these figures, indicating a dual strategy of both deterrence and incentivized self-deportation.