Millions Leave the U.S. as Border Enforcement Reaches Historic Levels

The Department of Homeland Security announced Friday that more than 2.5 million people living in the United States illegally have left the country since President Donald Trump returned to office earlier this year. The agency attributed the sharp decline to an aggressive immigration enforcement strategy that it says has resulted in what it calls the most secure border in U.S. history.

In a year-end report outlining its progress, DHS stated that illegal border crossings dropped by 93% compared to the previous year. The agency also reported that fentanyl trafficking has been reduced by roughly 50%, while hundreds of thousands of criminal illegal immigrants have either been arrested or removed from the country—marking a significant shift from policies under the previous administration.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem praised the administration’s actions, describing the past year as one of the most impactful periods in modern presidential history.

“In less than a year, President Trump has achieved some of the most historic and far-reaching results ever seen,” Noem said. “Under his leadership, we are restoring safety, prioritizing American citizens, securing the border at record speed, dismantling cartel operations, and arresting thousands of criminal illegal aliens.”

While acknowledging the progress made, Noem emphasized that enforcement efforts will continue until the administration’s objectives are fully met.

According to DHS, of the 2.5 million individuals who have left the country since Trump took office on Jan. 20, approximately 1.9 million departed voluntarily, while more than 622,000 were removed through enforcement actions.

The administration has urged individuals residing in the U.S. unlawfully to return to their home countries using the Customs and Border Protection Home Mobile App. The program offers participants a free flight home and a $1,000 departure incentive upon confirmed return.

DHS also reported major gains in drug enforcement. Customs and Border Protection seized nearly 540,000 pounds of illegal narcotics this year—an increase of almost 10% compared to the same period in 2024. In addition, the U.S. Coast Guard intercepted roughly 470,000 pounds of cocaine, an amount authorities say could have resulted in the deaths of 177 million people.

The department further stated that taxpayers have saved more than $13 billion as a result of operational reforms. Several agencies, including FEMA, the Cyber and Infrastructure Security Agency, and the Secret Service, were said to have refocused on their primary missions as part of these efforts.