The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has reported a record-breaking 271,484 deportations to 192 countries over the past 12 months, the highest annual tally in a decade.
This surge, nearly double the previous year’s count, poses significant financial and operational challenges for President-elect Donald Trump’s promise of mass deportations.
ICE’s increased deportation flights, including weekend flights, and streamlined travel procedures for individuals being sent to Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador, contributed to the rise. Notably, ICE had its first large flight to China in six years and made stops in various countries, including Albania, Angola, and India.
Meanwhile, U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported 46,612 arrests for illegal border crossings from Mexico in November, an 18% decrease from the previous month. This decline is attributed to increased enforcement by Mexican authorities and stricter asylum restrictions introduced by President Joe Biden in June.
Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras were the top destinations for deportees, with Mexico receiving the largest number (87,298). These countries are expected to continue bearing the brunt of deportations due to their governments’ willingness to accept their citizens and the relatively easier logistics.
However, ICE faces significant challenges in carrying out mass deportations, including limited detention space and staff. The agency’s enforcement and removals unit has remained steady at around 6,000 officers over the past decade, while its caseload has quadrupled to 7.6 million. To address detention space constraints, the state of Texas has offered rural land as a staging area.