The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Wednesday that a combined total of more than 2.5 million people have left the United States since January. The new figures confirm a major shift in immigration enforcement strategy under the current administration.
DHS reported that enforcement actions have resulted in more than 605,000 deportations since January 20. The department emphasized its focus on removing individuals identified as the most serious criminal offenders.
Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin claimed the department’s aggressive approach is producing rapid results.
“Since January 20, DHS has arrested more than 595,000 illegal aliens,” McLaughlin said in a statement. “Illegal aliens are hearing our message to leave now. They know if they don’t, we will find them, we will arrest them, and they will never return.”
DHS credited President Donald Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem with directing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to carry out targeted operations aimed at removing criminal individuals.
The department noted that the decrease in the number of people residing in the country illegally is already having effects at the local level, including reduced pressure on public services and changes in job availability.
To gain more control over the deportation process, DHS has purchased a small fleet of Boeing 737s to handle transporting illegal aliens out of America. This move to shift from relying on charter services to operating its own aircraft was made possible after Congress approved a major funding increase for the administration’s border and immigration agenda.