The Trump administration’s deportation drive has escalated at a historic pace, with more than 389,000 illegal immigrants already removed from the country, and projections indicating the total could reach 600,000 by the end of President Trump’s first year in office. As of Tuesday, more than 415,000 illegal immigrants have been arrested by federal law enforcement.
So far, the administration has fallen short of its goal of deporting one million illegals by the end of his first year in office, but Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons seemed confident that the administration could still hit that goal. He told the Daily Wire that the push to get illegal immigrants to self-deport should boost the number significantly. “I think we’re going to see our number, definitely with the CBP Home app and those that decided to leave on their own,” he said.
However, he argued that liberal judges have created "roadblocks" that are successfully "impeding how we’re doing our law enforcement mission. Every day it seems like we have some type of adverse decision that’s going to affect how we’re doing our job,”
Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin continued to talk up the administration's self-deportation program, which provides illegal immigrants with a free flight back to their home country, $1,000 cash, and an opportunity to re-enter the United States legally.
“After successfully ending the invasion of our country and securing our southern border, President Trump established the visionary Project Homecoming in May to create a smooth, efficient process for illegal aliens to return home,” McLaughlin said. “By using the CBP Home App, illegal aliens will receive a complimentary one-way plane ticket home, a $1,000 exit bonus, and forgiveness of any fines previously assessed for failure to depart. Tens of thousands of illegal aliens have utilized the CBP Home app, and 1.6 million illegal immigrants have left the United States population since January 20.”
If you’re in the United States illegally, it’s time to leave.
— U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (@ICEgov) September 18, 2025
If we deport you, you don’t choose your destination. Self-deportation gives you choices. pic.twitter.com/rNDXyUrFEs