ICE removed largest number of people in US illegally since 2014: Report

U.S. immigration authorities in 2024 removed the largest number of people in the country illegally in a decade, according to a new report.

In fiscal year 2024, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) removed 271,484 noncitizens -- the highest number since 2014, according to the agency's year-end report, released Thursday.

According to the report, of those removed from the country:

• 88,763 had charges or convictions for criminal activity;
• 3,706 were known or suspected gang members;
• 237 were known or suspected terrorists; and eight were human rights violators

The deportation numbers showed a 90% increase from the past two fiscal years, according to ICE data.

The 2024 fiscal year ended Sept. 30.

The numbers come as President-elect Donald Trump and his allies have been sharply critical of the Biden administration’s immigration policy and its handling of the southwest border. On the campaign trail, Trump vowed to carry out "mass deportations" of people living in the country illegally.

In the last fiscal year, ICE also issued 149,764 immigration detainers for noncitizens with criminal histories — an increase of 19.5% from last fiscal year, when it issued 125,358 detainers.

A detainer is a request from ICE to state and local officials running jails and prisons to hold a noncitizen with removal orders.

Detainers will become a big part of how the incoming Trump administration will seek to deport people from the country, but the challenge is some cities and states don’t recognize the detainers, thus making the jurisdiction a “sanctuary” city or state.

ICE focused its efforts in 2024 on violent offenders, according to the report.

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), which falls under ICE, conducted 32,608 criminal arrests, seized over 1.6 million pounds of narcotics, identified and/or assisted 1,783 victims of child exploitation, and assisted 818 victims of human trafficking, according to the report.