ICE deports 483,000 migrants in the United States: the record figure marking 2026

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) reached a record number of arrests and deportations in fiscal year 2026, with 475,000 people arrested and 483,200 foreigners expelled from the country, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Tuesday.

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The 483,200 deportations surpass the previous record registered in fiscal year 2025, when 442,640 deportations were recorded by ICE as part of President Donald Trump's administration's immigration plan.

The DHS highlighted that the total number of ICE deportations during fiscal year 2026 is "virtually equivalent" to the sum of deportations carried out by that agency during the three full fiscal years (2022, 2023, and 2024) of former President Joe Biden's administration (2021-2025), which totaled 486,000.

ICE also achieved a record for arrests in fiscal year 2026, with 475,000 people arrested for immigration violations, which represents, by far, "the highest figure in ICE history," the DHS indicated in a statement.

Fiscal year 2026 runs from October 1, 2025, to September 30, 2026.

The agency also broke a record last September, when it arrested more than 48,000 immigrants and deported 44,000. The number of arrests represents an increase of more than 300% compared to the average registered in the months of September during the Biden administration.

In this regard, DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said he felt "proud" of the work of ICE agents.

"The patriots at ICE work tirelessly to make the United States a safe place again. Thanks to President Trump's leadership, ICE now has full capacity to locate and expel foreigners in irregular status in order to save American lives," the secretary added.

During President Trump's administration, more than three million migrants have left the United States. As of last October, the Executive branch has deported nearly 1.2 million foreigners in irregular status and has arrested more than 1.25 million, according to DHS figures.

Immigrant arrest operations have been under public scrutiny after several fatalities were reported, including Americans Renée Good and Alex Pretti, and immigrants Lorenzo Salgado Araujo and Joan Sebastian Guerrero during fiscal year 2026. EFE