ICE Deportation & Enforcement Statistics

Removals vs. Returns

Removals (deportations) are the formal removal of a person from the U.S. under an order from an immigration judge or through expedited removal. A removal carries legal consequences — typically a 5, 10, or 20-year bar on reentry, or a permanent bar for certain criminal convictions.

Returns are voluntary departures — the person leaves on their own, sometimes under an agreement with ICE. Returns don't carry the same reentry bar, making them less consequential but also less of a deterrent.

The Enforcement Gap

Our immigration court data shows 628,798 removal orders issued by judges, plus 2,162,444 in absentia deportation orders. But ICE can only deport people it can find. Interior enforcement depends on detainers (holds placed on people in state/local jails), workplace raids, targeted operations, and cooperation from local law enforcement.

Sanctuary city policies, limited ICE resources, and the sheer scale of the unauthorized population (estimated 11-14 million) mean that many removal orders are never carried out.

The FY2021 Collapse

ICE removals fell to just 59,011 in FY2021 — an 80% drop from pre-pandemic levels. This was driven by COVID restrictions on detention, a policy shift toward prosecutorial discretion (focusing on "priority" cases), and a temporary halt on most deportations in early 2021.

ICE Detention

ICE operates or contracts with over 200 detention facilities nationwide. The average daily detained population fluctuates between 20,000 and 40,000 depending on policy and border conditions. Detention costs approximately $150-$300 per person per day, making the detention system a multi-billion dollar operation.