US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deported 483,200 people during the 2026 fiscal year, according to data from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The figure represents the highest annual deportation total in the agency’s reported history, surpassing the previous record of 442,640 deportations recorded in fiscal year 2025.
The 2026 fiscal year ended on September 30, with the latest figures reflecting an increase in immigration enforcement operations across the United States.
$75 Billion Allocated to ICE Enforcement Operations
The expansion of deportation activities has been supported by increased federal funding under a tax and spending law signed in July 2025.
The legislation allocated approximately $170 billion for immigration enforcement and border security. ICE was designated to receive $75 billion of that amount.
Of the funding allocated to the agency, $45 billion was earmarked for expanding detention capacity, while nearly $30 billion was designated for arrests, transportation and deportation operations.
Immigration Arrests Exceed 491,000
DHS reported that ICE carried out more than 491,000 immigration arrests during the 2026 fiscal year.
Administrative arrests accounted for nearly 475,000 of those cases. These arrests are based on civil immigration violations rather than criminal charges.
Sources familiar with the agency’s internal planning said ICE officials had been instructed to maintain a target of approximately 19,000 arrests each week.
The weekly target reportedly remains in place following Stephen Miller’s appointment as White House chief of staff.
Deportation Figures Include Voluntary Departures and Returns
The reported deportation total includes departures carried out through different legal procedures.
An analysis by Syracuse University‘s Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC) found that formal removal orders accounted for 63% of deportations in July and August 2026.
The remaining 37% involved voluntary departures and returns. These cases are included in ICE’s overall deportation figures, although they follow different legal processes from formal removals.
More Than Half of ICE Arrests Involved People Without Criminal Convictions
Separate analysis of detention data has highlighted the criminal records of people arrested by immigration authorities.
A CBS News examination of July 2026 figures found that more than half of ICE arrests involved individuals who had no criminal convictions or pending charges.
The Migration Policy Institute also reported that approximately 20% of the 980,000 people deported by ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) between January 2025 and July 2026 had a criminal conviction.
The findings provide additional details about the individuals affected by the expanded immigration enforcement operations.
