Arrests and deportations of undocumented people are lower than what President Donald Trump has promised, and that is “driving him nuts,” one source told NBC News.

Summary

Trump is reportedly frustrated that deportation numbers are lower than expected, pressuring ICE officials to accelerate arrests and removals.

His administration set a goal of 1,200–1,400 daily arrests, but actual figures have fallen short, sometimes below 300 on weekends.

ICE leadership, including “border czar” Tom Homan, has expressed dissatisfaction with the pace.

To meet Trump’s pledge of “millions and millions” of deportations, removals would need to exceed 2,700 per day.

  • Nightwingdragon@lemmy.worldEnglish
    7·
    11 hours ago

    This is not entirely the case.

    In theory, Trump’s deportation goals could be met by ensuring that the US is so hostile to illegal immigration that immigrants already here choose to return home willingly rather than be deported by force. Trump would certainly prefer it that way, as he would take credit for all of those numbers as well, without having to worry about actually expending resources deporting them or dealing with the backlash that comes with forced deportations, since they’d be leaving on their own.

    Now I don’t know if there’s a realistic way Trump could make the US become so hostile that immigrants start willingly packing up and leaving by the thousands per day, but we all damn well know that he’s going to try.

    And if he can’t, he’ll save face by going full WWE and just making up the numbers as he goes along. Not like his rubes actually have a way to check. Or even know how to count that high. Or how to count.

    • Nougat@fedia.io
      5·
      11 hours ago

      … that immigrants already here choose to return home willingly rather than be deported by force.

      They’re a lot harder to count that way.