A report from The Heritage Foundation criticizes the Trump administration's progress on mass deportations, stating it is "significantly off pace" from President Trump's campaign promises. The report's author, Mike Howell, argues that the administration's focus on deporting individuals with serious criminal records mirrors the approach of past Democratic presidents, rather than the broader, more indiscriminate enforcement seen during the Eisenhower administration, which resulted in over one million departures in 1954.
Howell, a former Trump administration Homeland Security official, also raises concerns about the lack of transparency from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regarding deportation data. He notes that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has stopped releasing monthly progress reports since Trump took office, making it difficult to verify claims of deportation numbers.
While other agencies share immigration-related statistics, DHS's data remains inaccessible. DHS and the White House defend the administration's efforts, acknowledging legal challenges and judicial injunctions but asserting that historic strides are being made to arrest and deport undocumented immigrants.
They maintain that the deportations will continue despite these obstacles and that the administration is delivering on the President's promises. Howell, however, contends that a course correction is needed to fulfill campaign pledges and that the necessary funding is available.
