U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has deported more than 2,000 known or suspected terrorists since President Donald Trump took office in January 2025, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The announcement, provided exclusively to Fox News Digital, comes as the nation prepares to mark the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks. DHS data indicates that ICE arrested 2,150 individuals classified as known or suspected terrorists between Jan. 20, 2025, and Sept. 9, 2026, resulting in the deportation of 2,015 of those individuals.
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin framed the statistics as evidence of the agency’s ongoing commitment to homeland security. "As we reflect on the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, the brave men and women of ICE continue to carry out their duty to protect the homeland and keep the American people safe," Mullin said in a department statement. He noted that the anniversary underscores the department’s focus on "eternal vigilance" against terrorist threats.
What the Left Is Saying
While the source material highlights the administration's perspective, the announcement coincides with a period where national security policy remains a central point of debate. Critics of broad immigration enforcement actions have historically argued that the term "suspected terrorist" can be applied broadly to individuals with minor criminal histories or visa violations, rather than those with direct ties to violent extremist groups. Progressive voices often emphasize the importance of due process and the need to distinguish between genuine security threats and immigration status violations, warning against conflating the two in public messaging.
What the Right Is Saying
Conservative leaders and the Trump administration cite these figures as proof that strict immigration enforcement is essential to national security. The DHS announcement highlights specific cases to illustrate the threat, including the arrest of Abraham Hermosillo Alvarez, a Mexican national identified by DHS as the suspected ringleader of an alleged plot targeting the UFC Freedom 250 event at the White House. Alvarez reportedly overstayed a visitor visa that expired in 2001 and later received DACA status in 2014. Additionally, ICE arrested Felipe Linares De Oliveira Dell Aquilla, a Brazilian national described as a former commander of two designated foreign terrorist organizations. Republicans argue that these cases validate the administration's strategy of prioritizing the removal of individuals with potential ties to designated terrorist groups or violent criminal organizations like Tren de Aragua.
What the Numbers Show
According to DHS data provided to Fox News Digital, ICE arrested 2,150 known or suspected terrorists between Jan. 20, 2025, and Sept. 9, 2026. Of those arrested, 2,015 were deported during the same period. The department cited several specific incidents to support the broader statistic: In June, federal authorities arrested Abraham Hermosillo Alvarez, who was accused of plotting a mass-casualty attack at a White House event. Days earlier, ICE Homeland Security Investigations arrested Felipe Linares De Oliveira Dell Aquilla, who was wanted in Brazil on criminal association charges. In May, four Venezuelan members of Tren de Aragua pleaded guilty to charges related to a 2024 Bronx shooting that killed two people; DHS stated all four had entered the U.S. illegally between 2022 and 2023. These figures are presented in the context of the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, which killed nearly 3,000 people and led to the creation of DHS in 2002 and ICE in 2003.
The Bottom Line
The release of these enforcement statistics serves to contextualize the 25th anniversary of 9/11 within the current administration's policy framework. The data highlights the operational focus of ICE in the first 20 months of the Trump presidency, linking immigration enforcement directly to counter-terrorism objectives. As the nation commemorates the victims and first responders of 9/11, the DHS figures underscore the ongoing evolution of homeland security strategies, which now heavily integrate immigration status checks with counter-terrorism efforts. The specific cases cited, involving individuals with visa overstays and connections to designated foreign organizations, illustrate the types of profiles prioritized by current enforcement actions.