Donald Trump knew the border was a mess when he arrived. But he’s learning it was way worse.
And President Trump was utterly blown away by what he’s just learned about Joe Biden’s border crisis.
Trump Admin Exposes Biden’s Deportation Deceptions
President Donald Trump’s second term has kicked off with a blazing start, delivering on his campaign promise to secure America’s southern border with a vigor that’s already reshaping the nation’s immigration landscape. In just 100 days, Trump’s administration has notched impressive victories, slashing illegal border crossings to historic lows and ramping up deportations of illegal aliens at a pace that leaves the previous administration in the dust. But a closer look at the numbers reveals a stunning truth: the Biden administration’s reported deportation figures were inflated, masking the true strength of Trump’s immigration enforcement.
During his final year in office, Joe Biden’s administration claimed a 10-year high in deportations, boasting 271,484 removals in fiscal year 2024, or about 740 per day. At first glance, this figure seems to outshine Trump’s early performance, with ICE reporting 65,682 removals in the first 100 days of his second term, averaging roughly 660 per day. But the Biden numbers don’t tell the whole story. A deeper analysis exposes a critical flaw in their reporting, one that inflates their success while obscuring the real progress made under Trump.
The Biden administration’s deportation figures were padded by counting more than 80% of their “removals” as individuals who never even made it past the border. These were not deportations in the traditional sense—aliens removed from America’s interior after residing illegally. Instead, they were “turnarounds,” apprehended by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at the border and sent back before crossing into the country. As CBP agents call them, these turnarounds don’t qualify as true removals because the individuals never reached America’s interior, where ICE operates.
In contrast, Trump’s ICE is laser-focused on removing illegal aliens already living within the United States, a far more complex and resource-intensive task. An analysis of ICE data shows that Trump’s administration is deporting interior-dwelling illegal aliens at a rate nearly five times faster than Biden’s. When adjusted for accurate classifications, Biden’s true removal rate plummets to about 130 per day, while Trump’s holds strong at 650 per day—a clear testament to the effectiveness of Trump’s “mass deportations” program.
“We removed over 65,000 illegal aliens to countries across the world,” Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons declared in a press release on Tuesday, praising the early efforts of Trump’s team. “We’re just 100 days into this administration and thanks to President Trump and Secretary Noem, ICE is using every tool at its disposal to enforce our country’s immigration laws and protect our communities.” Lyons’ words signal a renewed commitment to law and order, a stark departure from the policies of the prior administration.
The Biden-era CBP muddied the waters with a December 2024 press release that conflated “removals and returns,” blurring the line between turnarounds and true deportations. Trump’s ICE, however, has been crystal clear, classifying its 65,682 deportations strictly as “removals” of aliens from America’s interior. This transparency showcases the integrity of Trump’s approach, ensuring the American people know exactly what’s being accomplished.
Homeland Security’s broader efforts under Trump are equally impressive. Across CBP, ICE, and other agencies, the administration has arrested over 158,000 illegal aliens and deported more than 142,000 in just 100 days. “Deportations have already exceeded 142,000—this is just the beginning. President Trump and Secretary Noem have jump-started an agency that was vilified and barred from doing its job for the last four years,” Homeland Security Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin told Just the News. Her statement captures the renewed energy driving Trump’s immigration agenda.
McLaughlin also pointed to the administration’s success in deterring illegal immigration before it even reaches the border. “Additionally, illegal aliens are hearing our message to leave now or face the consequences. Thousands are using the CBP Home App to self-deport. Migrants are now even turning back before they reach our borders—migration through Panama’s Darien Gap is down 99.99%,” she explained. This dramatic drop in crossings points to the power of Trump’s messaging and policies.
Border Czar Tom Homan, a key figure in Trump’s immigration strategy, has been vocal about the need for more resources to sustain this momentum. “Congress needs to get off their ass,” Homan told the Just the News, No Noise television show on Thursday. “Give us the money we need. And I’m not just talking about Democrats either. I mean, President Trump was elected by the American people, overwhelmingly, and his No. 1 issue is securing the border and running this deportation operation.” Homan’s blunt call to action resonates with Trump’s base, who see border security as a non-negotiable priority.
Homan didn’t stop there. “We’re doing great with the money we have, but we can do a hell of a lot more,” he said. “We need money for more beds. We need money for transportation. We need money for more officers. We need money for more contract personnel to come in and do jobs that doesn’t require a badge and gun. We got badges and guns doing administrative jobs they shouldn’t be doing. We need them on the street.” His urgency highlights the scale of the challenge ahead, particularly with over 700,000 illegal aliens with criminal convictions still at large in America.
“We’ve got over 700,000 illegal aliens with criminal convictions walking the streets of America. We need money to put more boots on the ground to get the rest of these people,” Homan added. This sobering statistic drives home the stakes of Trump’s mission to prioritize public safety by targeting dangerous individuals first. Three in four aliens arrested under Trump’s ICE have criminal records, a clear sign that the administration is keeping its promise to focus on those who pose the greatest threat.
Trump’s reinstatement of the “Remain in Mexico” policy has also been a game-changer. Reintroduced immediately upon taking office, this signature policy requires asylum seekers to wait in Mexico until their U.S. immigration court hearings. It’s a sharp rebuke to Biden’s “catch and release” approach, which saw millions of aliens released into the U.S. with little more than a promise to appear in court later. According to the Center for Immigration Studies, at least 160,000 aliens failed to show up for their court dates in FY 2023, with numbers likely exceeding 170,000 in 2024.
The contrast between the two administrations couldn’t be clearer. In 2018, during Trump’s first term, the Department of Homeland Security issued a statement decrying “catch and release loopholes” that allowed minors, family units, and human smugglers to exploit the system. “Unaccompanied Alien Children and Family Units Are Flooding the Border Because of Catch and Release Loopholes,” the statement read, emphasizing the need for stronger enforcement. Trump’s executive order this year, directing immigration agencies to detain aliens apprehended for violations, builds on that legacy.
The arrest data further bolsters Trump’s case. In FY 2024, Biden’s ICE executed 113,431 total arrests. In just 100 days, Trump’s ICE has already arrested 66,463 aliens, effectively doubling Biden’s rate. This aggressive pace suggests that Trump’s administration could scale up deportations even further with the right resources. Reports from Fox News’ Bill Melugin indicate that around 9,000 individuals have self-deported using the CBP Home App, a tool repurposed from Biden’s administration but now wielded effectively under Trump’s leadership.
“I’m happy with the numbers, but I’m not satisfied,” Homan said in his keynote address at the Border Security Expo in Phoenix, Arizona last month. “We need more, and that’s where the budget comes in.” His remarks echo the administration’s broader push for Congressional support, as evidenced by the recent budget blueprint submitted by Trump’s Office of Management and Budget. The proposal allocates $175 million to Homeland Security to “fully secure the border” while prioritizing defense spending over less critical areas like education and foreign aid.
Despite these early successes, the administration faces challenges ahead. Homan and others have repeatedly called on Congress to provide the funding needed to expand detention capacity, hire more officers, and streamline operations. “In the face of a historic number of injunctions from activist judges, ICE, CBP, and the U.S. Coast Guard have made historic progress to carryout [sic] President Trump’s promise of arresting and deporting aliens who have invaded our country,” McLaughlin told Just the News. Her words point to the resilience of Trump’s team in the face of legal and political obstacles.
