Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) reached historical records during fiscal year 2026 by carrying out 475,000 arrests and 483,200 deportations, driven by the immigration policy of the Donald Trump administration and surpassing the records of recent years.
The figures released this Tuesday by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reveal that expulsions for the period exceed the previous record of 442,640 cases established in fiscal year 2025. Likewise, the total volume of recent deportations is practically equivalent to that registered cumulatively during the three complete fiscal years (2022, 2024 and 2024) under Joe Biden’s mandate, a period that totaled 486,000 departures.
Operational increase and monthly peaks
The federal agency also shattered its historical records in the section of arrests for immigration violations, recording 475,000 arrests. DHS called this volume “the highest figure in ICE history.”
The upward trend was reflected with particular intensity in September, when agents detained more than 48,000 migrants and expelled 44,000. This level of arrests represents an increase of more than 300% compared to the September average recorded during the previous Democratic administration.
Given these results, the Secretary of the DHS, Markwayne Mullin, expressed his support for the work of the officials.
“ICE patriots are working tirelessly to make America safe again. Thanks to President Trump’s leadership, the ICE now has full capacity to locate and expel foreigners in an irregular situation, in order to save American lives,” the official said.
General balance of the administration and controversies
Since the beginning of Donald Trump’s termmore than three million people have left United States territory. Official data from the DHS until October indicate that the Executive has deported nearly 1.2 million foreigners in an irregular situation and has detained more than 1.25 million.
However, the execution of these operations has provoked intense public scrutiny and national debate after several fatalities were documented during fiscal year 2026, including US citizens Renée Good and Alex Pretti, as well as immigrants Lorenzo Salgado Araujo and Joan Sebastian Guerrero.
