On Wednesday, Tom Homan, the White House border czar, acknowledged that deportations have “dropped a little” as the Trump administration faces ongoing pressure to increase the mass deportations the president promised during his campaign.
Homan indicated that approximately 800,000 illegal immigrants had been deported, with 60% of them having criminal backgrounds. However, he noted that the rate of deportations is slowing. This slowdown appears to stem from ongoing court disputes, pushback from sanctuary cities, political repercussions following an ICE operation in Minneapolis, and a leadership change at the Department of Homeland Security, moving from Kristi Noem to Markwayne Mullin.
“The numbers are down a bit, but we have a plan. We’ll boost those numbers back up—maybe even higher,” Homan mentioned.
He expressed dissatisfaction with the current situation, saying, “No, I want more. The numbers are historic, but I aim for more.”
On the other hand, the Department of Homeland Security claims that immigration enforcement is not lacking, stating that over 3 million illegal immigrants have been removed under the second Trump administration.
A DHS spokesperson pointed out, “From day one, DHS law enforcement has been true to President Trump’s promise to enhance safety in America. Nearly 70% of ICE arrests involve illegal aliens charged or convicted of crimes in the United States. More than 3 million illegal aliens have been deported, and that figure is on the rise. Our message is clear: if you enter our country illegally, we will find you, arrest you, and deport you. ICE isn’t slowing down.”
Homan’s mention of the 800,000 deportations follows Customs and Border Protection’s reports showing around 10.9 million encounters from fiscal years 2021 to 2024, primarily during Biden’s term. Notably, over 8.7 million of these encounters occurred at the southwest border.
This apparent gap is a source of frustration for some immigrants, particularly hardliners who argue that the current administration isn’t moving swiftly enough to fulfill Trump’s promises.
The slowdown comes on the heels of Operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis, which had significant ramifications, including the deaths of two American citizens and widespread anti-ICE protests. The administration labeled the operation as a “huge victory,” resulting in around 4,000 arrests.
Homan remarked, “The government shut down many agencies because of Minneapolis,” citing various issues raised during funding negotiations related to masks, identification, body cameras, and patrols.
This Minneapolis operation ignited a heated bipartisan debate in Congress, especially given objections over a $220 million DHS advertising campaign that reportedly angered President Trump, which eventually led to Markwayne Mullin replacing Noem and significant reforms at DHS.
Mullin seems to be working toward stabilizing DHS after months of scrutiny around ICE and the Border Patrol. Advocacy groups are hopeful he can restore the agency’s credibility.
A new coalition focused on mass deportations is urging the administration to tighten its deportation policies and is pushing Prime Minister Marin to evaluate a forthcoming plan to deport 1 million illegal immigrants.
Interestingly, President Trump seems to be softening his stance on illegal immigration. In a remark made in January, he commented that it’s “lighter” now, concentrating more on illegal immigrants working in essential sectors like agriculture and hospitality, and primarily focusing on those involved in serious crimes.
Public support for the administration’s immigration policies is waning, with Trump’s immigration approval rating recorded at 39% in January, down from just over 50% in February 2025, according to recent surveys.
