Migration Policy Institute report finds Trump administration deportation numbers falling short of targets

The report highlights a gap between administration immigration enforcement promises and tracked figures, while voluntary departures among detained migrants reach an all-time high.

• •The Migration Policy Institute report estimates the administration is on track to deport about 660,000 people over the past year.
• •The 660,000 deportation figure falls short of the 1 million promised by President Trump following congressional funding approvals.
• •The Department of Homeland Security carried out 980,000 deportations during the first 18 months of the second Trump administration, though the administration claims 1.2 million removals.
• •The all-time record for deportations remains 1.86 million recorded in 2000 under President Bill Clinton.
• •Interior arrests made up 39% of deportations by July of this year, up from 28% in 2025.
• •Border interceptions accounted for 69% of all deportations between Jan. 20, 2025, and July 31, 2026.
• •Voluntary departures reached an all-time high of 170,000 since Trump returned to office in January 2025.
• •The Department of Homeland Security has stopped publicly releasing regular deportation data, requiring analysts to rely on Freedom of Information Act requests and lawsuits.