President Donald Trump is shaking up Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), replacing acting director Caleb Vitello due to what he sees as sluggish deportation numbers.
Trump has made it clear that he aims to build the largest deportation force in American history, but so far, only a few thousand removals have taken place since he took office. While Vitello will remain responsible for field-level deportation and arrest operations, the president believes a leadership change is necessary at the top. ICE is expected to announce a new acting director soon.
A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson framed the move differently, claiming that Vitello is being “elevated” and will now oversee all field enforcement operations, focusing on locating, arresting, and deporting illegal immigrants.
Trump has been vocal about his goal of surpassing the deportation numbers set by Dwight Eisenhower’s administration. Speaking at a Republican Governors Association event, he declared:
“We began the largest deportation operation in American history. Larger even than that of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. He was a moderate guy, but he was very tough on keeping our borders secure. He had the record. Now, we have the record. It’s not a record I’m proud of—you don’t want to have to do this—but we have no choice.”
At a recent Turning Point USA event, Trump again referenced Eisenhower’s 1954 deportation initiative, Operation Wetback, which removed large numbers of illegal immigrants, primarily from Texas, California, and Arizona. Estimates of how many people were actually deported vary, with the government claiming over 1.3 million, while historians suggest the actual number was closer to 300,000.
More recent administrations have also set deportation benchmarks. Barack Obama’s administration removed more than 2.5 million individuals over two terms, though it also allowed many undocumented immigrants to remain. Trump’s first term saw approximately 1.5 million deportations.
Under Trump’s renewed crackdown, DHS reported that from Inauguration Day (January 20, 2025) to February 3, approximately 5,693 illegal immigrants were removed to 121 countries. By mid-February, sources estimated the number had surpassed 10,000, though official figures remain inconsistent. Deportations were averaging around 400 per day in late January, but reports indicated fluctuations, with the rate dipping to about 325 daily arrests in early February.
With significant time left in his presidency, Trump appears determined to leave his mark on immigration enforcement. His competitive nature suggests he won’t stop until he surpasses previous records, cementing his legacy as the president who reshaped America’s deportation policies.
