According to a newly released annual report, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deported 271,484 immigrants in the last fiscal year, marking the highest level of deportations since 2014. This comes as President-elect Donald Trump plans to prioritize mass deportation in his incoming administration, criticizing President Joe Biden's immigration policies.
The latest ICE data reveals that the Biden administration conducted a significant number of removals last fiscal year, surpassing the previous two years of Biden's presidency. The focus was primarily on individuals deemed public safety and national security threats.
Many of the deportations were of individuals who crossed the US-Mexico border illegally, reflecting the challenges faced by the Biden administration along the southern border amidst a surge in global migration. ICE carried out removals to nearly 200 different countries during the period from October 1, 2023, to September 30, 2024.
Acting ICE Director Patrick Lechleitner acknowledged the agency's efforts to operate within strained resources and competing priorities while supporting the Department of Homeland Security and its component agencies in border security.
As Trump aides prepare for large-scale detention and deportation of undocumented immigrants, they are also aware of the limitations posed by limited resources and personnel within ICE. Tom Homan, designated as the incoming administration's 'border czar,' emphasized the need for additional funding from Congress to enhance ICE's resources and fulfill deportation objectives.
Homan highlighted the necessity of increasing detention beds to accommodate undocumented immigrants and hiring more ICE agents to carry out arrests. The agency currently has around 6,000 immigration enforcement officers.
Under Biden, ICE implemented guidelines to narrow enforcement measures, focusing on immigrants posing national security, border security, or public safety risks. Homan indicated plans for targeted operations against such threats while remaining open to detaining other undocumented immigrants encountered.
ICE's report disclosed that 32% of the 271,484 removals conducted last fiscal year involved individuals with criminal histories. The agency's enforcement and removal branch arrested 113,431 immigrants, with 81,312 having criminal convictions or pending charges at the time of arrest.
Despite approximately 1.4 million individuals in the US with final removal orders, challenges exist in executing deportations due to countries' refusal to accept them or potential relief options available through the immigration system.
ICE managed over 7.6 million immigrants in removal proceedings or subject to final removal orders on the non-detained docket, indicating ongoing immigration processes for these individuals. Former President Barack Obama deported around 400,000 individuals in a year, primarily recent border crossers, presenting a different challenge compared to targeting those already residing in the country.
Factors contributing to the increased removals under Biden included negotiations with countries to facilitate removal flights and diplomatic engagements with nations in the eastern hemisphere like China.
