The Department of Homeland Security says more than 3 million illegal immigrants have left the United States during President Donald Trump’s first year back in office, including an estimated 2.2 million voluntary departures.
According to figures shared by DHS, the administration has also deported nearly 900,000 illegal immigrants and arrested more than 900,000 others as of May 17.
Officials framed the numbers as evidence that Trump’s immigration crackdown is reshaping migration patterns after years of record illegal crossings under the Biden administration.
A DHS spokesperson said the administration’s tougher enforcement policies have encouraged millions of people in the country illegally to leave voluntarily rather than wait for formal removal proceedings.
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The administration has increasingly promoted self-deportation through the CBP Home app, which allows migrants to voluntarily leave the United States with travel assistance and financial support.
Officials say the program costs significantly less than traditional deportation proceedings and helps reduce pressure on immigration courts, detention space and enforcement agencies.
The figures come as the administration continues pointing to a sharp decline in illegal border crossings.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Border Patrol recorded 8,943 apprehensions at the southwestern border in April. That represents a 94 percent drop compared with the Biden administration’s monthly average and a 96 percent decline from the December 2023 peak.
DHS officials also said the administration has ended “catch-and-release” practices at the southern border.
Last week, CBP said Border Patrol had gone a full year without releasing illegal immigrants directly into the U.S. interior after apprehension at the border.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said the days of catch and release are over, arguing that Trump’s enforcement policies are deterring migrants from attempting to enter the country illegally.
The administration has also credited expanded ICE operations, tighter asylum restrictions and stronger interior enforcement for creating a broader deterrence effect.
Supporters of Trump’s immigration agenda say the numbers show that strict enforcement can quickly reduce illegal crossings and encourage voluntary departures.
Critics are likely to question how DHS calculates self-deportations and whether all voluntary departures can be fully verified.
Immigration analysts say Trump’s tougher enforcement posture has clearly reduced illegal crossings, though some dispute how the administration describes certain figures involving releases, removals and voluntary departures.
The issue is expected to remain central to the political fight over immigration as the White House continues pushing Congress for more ICE and Border Patrol funding.
For Trump officials, the message is clear: fewer illegal crossings, more deportations and millions leaving voluntarily show that the administration’s border strategy is working.
Stunning number of illegal migrants who have been deported from US or left voluntarily revealed by DHS https://t.co/ETjsXDpHKF pic.twitter.com/z3HeiCmAex
— New York Post (@nypost) May 21, 2026
