Since coming to office earlier this year, President Donald Trump has directed substantial resources towards finding and deporting illegal aliens.

Trump's effort appears to be bearing fruit as the number of removals have surged under his administration. 

White House touts staggering figures

That's according to the Daily Wire, which cited statistics that were recently provided to it by Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.

Trump Speeds Up Mass Deportation Campaignhttps://t.co/QlTFaMXYRX

— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) September 18, 2025

McLaughlin explained that some 389,000 illegal immigrants have been taken out of the United States since the president assumed office in January.

This number well exceeds the 271,000 illegal migrants who were removed in 2024, with the White House predicting that the total will hit 600,000 by the end of this year.

'Exit bonus' available

The assistant Homeland Security secretary also pointed to an offer under which illegal aliens who depart voluntarily can receive a $1,000 "exit bonus."

"After successfully ending the invasion of our country and securing our southern border, President Trump established the visionary Project Homecoming in May to create a smooth, efficient process for illegal aliens to return home," McLaughlin explained.

She highlighted that "[b]y using the CBP Home App, illegal aliens will receive a complimentary one-way plane ticket home, a $1,000 exit bonus, and forgiveness of any fines previously assessed for failure to depart."

"Tens of thousands of illegal aliens have utilized the CBP Home app, and 1.6 million illegal immigrants have left the United States population since January 20," the official added.

McLaughlin's remarks echo sentiments that Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons expressed to the Daily Wire earlier in the week.

Lamenting judicial "roadblocks"

"I think we’re going to see our number, definitely with the CBP Home app and those that decided to leave on their own," Lyons said of the illegal alien population.

However, Lyons also acknowledged that liberal judges have been "opining" from the bench and erecting "roadblocks" that impede ICE agents from carrying out their objectives.

"Every day it seems like we have some type of adverse decision that’s going to affect how we’re doing our job," the acting ICE director complained.

"What we’re seeing is a lot of [the] time when judges opine with their own opinions on it, they’re going against how Congress wrote the law," Lyons further declared.