How many immigrants has Trump deported? As of the most recent official federal data available through 2025, Donald Trump oversaw roughly 935,000 formal deportations during his first term in office from fiscal year 2017 through fiscal year 2020. Additional removals occurred in early fiscal year 2021 before he left office on January 20, 2021, bringing the total to just under one million confirmed deportations during his presidency.
This figure reflects official U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) removal statistics. Below is a detailed, fact-based breakdown of the numbers and what they mean.
Table of Contents
Trump Deportations by Fiscal Year
The Department of Homeland Security publishes annual enforcement statistics. The confirmed ICE removal totals during Trump’s first term are:
| Fiscal Year | Removals (Deportations) |
|---|---|
| FY 2017 | 226,119 |
| FY 2018 | 256,085 |
| FY 2019 | 267,258 |
| FY 2020 | 185,884 |
Total (FY 2017–FY 2020):
935,346 removals
Fiscal year 2021 began on October 1, 2020. Trump served until January 20, 2021. Deportations carried out during that portion of FY 2021 occurred under his administration, but the annual total includes removals later conducted under President Biden. Federal reporting does not separate those early FY 2021 figures into a standalone public total attributed solely to Trump.
As a result, the most widely cited and fully verified number remains the 935,346 removals from FY 2017 through FY 2020.
What Counts as a Deportation?
When evaluating how many immigrants Trump deported, it is important to understand how the federal government defines deportation.
ICE uses the term “removal” for a formal deportation order. A removal involves:
- A formal order of removal issued by an immigration judge or authorized official
- Physical departure from the United States
- Legal consequences for reentry
Removals differ from returns, which historically referred to voluntary returns without a formal order. Returns have declined significantly in modern immigration enforcement reporting.
The totals listed above refer specifically to formal removals, not informal returns.
How Trump’s Deportation Numbers Compare Historically
Although immigration enforcement was a central issue in Trump’s 2016 campaign, the annual deportation numbers during his first term were lower than those during parts of the Obama administration.
For comparison:
- President Obama’s administration recorded higher annual removal totals during several fiscal years, especially between 2009 and 2012.
- Deportations peaked during Obama’s early years, surpassing 400,000 removals in a single fiscal year.
Trump’s highest annual removal total occurred in FY 2019 with 267,258 removals.
This comparison often surprises readers because public rhetoric around immigration enforcement intensified during Trump’s presidency, yet the raw removal totals did not reach earlier historic highs.
Why Did Deportations Drop in 2020?
The sharp decline in FY 2020 removals resulted largely from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Several factors contributed:
- International travel restrictions
- Border closures
- Limited court operations
- Reduced detention capacity
- Diplomatic barriers to repatriation
FY 2020 removals fell to 185,884, the lowest annual total of Trump’s presidency.
This decline reflected operational constraints rather than a policy shift away from enforcement.
Enforcement Priorities Under Trump
While overall deportation totals remained below Obama-era peaks, Trump expanded the categories of immigrants eligible for removal.
Key enforcement priorities during his first term included:
- Individuals with criminal convictions
- Individuals charged with crimes
- Those who violated immigration laws, including visa overstays
- People subject to expedited removal near the border
The administration ended certain enforcement limitations that had focused primarily on serious criminal offenders.
However, even with broader eligibility rules, removal totals did not dramatically increase beyond prior administration levels.
Border Enforcement vs. Interior Deportations
When asking how many immigrants has Trump deported, many people focus on interior enforcement.
ICE removals generally fall into two categories:
- Border removals – Individuals apprehended near the border and quickly processed.
- Interior removals – Individuals arrested within the United States.
During Trump’s presidency:
- Interior removals initially rose in FY 2017 and FY 2018.
- They later stabilized and declined slightly before the pandemic.
- Border enforcement actions fluctuated significantly depending on migration surges.
Migration patterns strongly influence removal totals, especially at the southern border.
Second Term: Current Status as of 2026
Donald Trump began his second term on January 20, 2025.
As of the most recent publicly available federal enforcement reports released in 2025, a full fiscal year total for deportations under his second term has not yet been officially published.
Federal immigration statistics typically release after the close of a fiscal year on September 30. Comprehensive FY 2025 and FY 2026 removal totals are not yet fully available in finalized annual reporting.
Until those official reports are released, confirmed deportation figures remain limited to his first term totals and partial early second-term enforcement updates.
No verified government publication has released a finalized second-term cumulative deportation number as of this writing.
Common Misconceptions About Trump Deportations
1. “Trump deported more immigrants than any president.”
This statement is not supported by official data. Annual deportation totals during Trump’s presidency did not exceed the peak years recorded under Obama.
2. “Trump deported millions.”
While public discourse often uses the word “millions,” confirmed removals during his first term totaled just under one million.
3. “Every removal involved criminals.”
ICE reported that many removed individuals had criminal convictions. However, removals also included immigration violations without violent criminal histories.
The Role of Expedited Removal and Title 42
During 2020, public health authority known as Title 42 allowed rapid expulsions at the border.
Important distinction:
- Title 42 expulsions were not classified as formal removals.
- Therefore, they do not count in ICE removal totals.
This distinction matters when evaluating how many immigrants Trump deported because border expulsions under pandemic authority were processed differently from traditional deportations.
Factors That Influence Deportation Numbers
Removal totals fluctuate based on several measurable factors:
- Border crossings
- Federal court capacity
- Immigration judge staffing
- Detention space availability
- Diplomatic agreements with receiving countries
- Congressional funding levels
Presidential policy direction influences enforcement priorities, but operational realities significantly shape actual removal totals.
Political Impact of Deportation Statistics
Immigration enforcement remains one of the most debated policy areas in American politics.
Trump’s campaign messaging emphasized:
- Mass deportations
- Border wall construction
- Stricter asylum standards
However, the confirmed deportation totals reflect a complex interplay between policy goals and logistical constraints.
In public debate, deportation numbers often serve as shorthand for broader immigration policy performance.
Why Accurate Numbers Matter
Understanding how many immigrants Trump deported requires relying on official federal reporting rather than campaign rhetoric or social media claims.
Accurate figures help clarify:
- The scale of enforcement
- Historical comparisons
- The difference between removals and returns
- The real impact of federal immigration policy
Public trust depends on factual reporting grounded in verified government data.
Summary: Verified Deportation Totals
Here is the confirmed breakdown:
- 935,346 removals from FY 2017–FY 2020
- Additional removals occurred in early FY 2021 before January 20, 2021
- No finalized second-term cumulative total has been officially published yet
When people ask how many immigrants has Trump deported, the most accurate, fully verified answer based on official DHS data is just under one million during his first term.
Future annual federal enforcement reports will provide updated totals for his second term.
Immigration enforcement continues to evolve, and new federal reports will shape the next phase of this debate.
What are your thoughts on these numbers? Share your perspective and stay engaged as new official data becomes available.
