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About Global Migration
Understanding migration means seeing the people behind the policies and the stories beyond the headlines.
The content on this page is updated regularly.
Latest update: February 2026
Deportations
The trend in deportations from the U.S. has been increasing since 2025. According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), as of early January 2026, the U.S. government has reported over 605,000 formal deportations since the new administration (January 2025).
An additional 1.9 million individuals have reportedly “self-deported” during that same period, which brings the total number of individuals who have left the U.S. to over 2.5 million.
Detentions under the Current Administration
In the last year alone:
- In 2024, according to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) data on their website, they detained 277,913 people, and in 2025 (Fiscal Year), so far, they have detained 66,886 people in the U.S.
- In 2024, ICE expelled 271,484 people, and 71,405 people in 2025.
- The removal of those 71,405 is divided into the following criminality levels/categories:
- 17,157- Criminal Conviction
- 6,369- Pending Criminal Charges
- 47,879- Other immigration violators
- The removal of those 71,405 is divided into the following criminality levels/categories:
NOTE: El Paso ranked #1 in people removed in this category.
Source: ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Statistics | ICE
This administration has appropriated more money for immigration enforcement, which includes detention within the U.S. Earlier this year, there were around 39,000 detainees under ICE detention, but those numbers have increased exponentially over the past months.
According to the Cato Institute (November, 2025), ICE has recorded the following starting the new fiscal year (October 2025):
- 73% of the people under ICE custody had NO criminal conviction
- Nearly half of the population under ICE custody had NO criminal conviction or any pending criminal charges
- 8% had a violent or property criminal conviction
- ONLY 5% had a criminal conviction
Immigration Detention in the United States by Agency
Cato Institute: ICE Detentions Data
In the last year alone:
- In 2024, according to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) data on their website, they detained 277,913 people, and in 2025 (Fiscal Year), so far, they have detained 66,886 people in the U.S.
- In 2024, ICE expelled 271,484 people, and 71,405 people in 2025.
- The removal of those 71,405 is divided into the following criminality levels/categories:
- 17, 157- Criminal Conviction
- 6,369- Pending Criminal Charges
- 47, 879- Other immigration violators
- The removal of those 71,405 is divided into the following criminality levels/categories:
NOTE: El Paso ranked as #1 in terms of people being removed within this category
Source: ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Statistics | ICE
Detentions under the Current Administration
This administration has appropriated more money for immigration enforcement, which includes detention within the U.S. Earlier this year, there were around 39,000 detainees under ICE detention, but those numbers have increased exponentially over the past months.
According to the Cato Institute (November 2025), ICE has recorded the following starting the new fiscal year (October 2025):
- 73% of the people under ICE custody had NO criminal conviction
- Nearly half of the population under ICE custody had NO criminal conviction or any pending criminal charges
- 8% had a violent or property criminal conviction
- ONLY 5% had a criminal conviction
Immigration Detention in the United States by Agency
Cato Institute: ICE Detentions Data
Current conditions inside Camp
East Montana (as of February 2026):
According to a new ICE report, there have already been 60 violations at the new detention center in Fort Bliss. These violations include a lack of proper medical attention to detainees dealing with certain medical conditions; a lack of proper and basic procedures to keep both guards and detainees safe; and detainees were not able to contact their lawyers for weeks.
The population of this facility increases daily; as of January 2026, Camp East Montana contains approximately 2903 individuals (NBC).
In 2025, at least 32 people died under ICE custody, all across the U.S. (The Guardian). And as of January 28th, 2026, at least three people have died at Camp East Montana, one of whom was ruled a homicide by the El Paso Medical Examiner's Office (Texas Tribune).
Currently, ICE is the highest-funded U.S. law enforcement agency, sitting at a $77 billion USD budget, which is expected to increase in the next few months. The House of Representatives has already passed the bill that would increase its funding, and it is now in the Senate, where it could still be blocked. If you want to prevent the increase, call your senators and urge them to oppose any increase to ICE's budget.
You can find your senator here - https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm
As of early February 2026, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar is still pushing the Department of Homeland Security to improve the conditions of the camp. Last year, she wrote a letter that details that the conditions within the camp have not improved since the last time there was a complaint from their office (back in September 2025), especially regarding water and food conditions. In spite of these complaints and visits, these conditions remain.
Through the “Big Beautiful Bill” in 2025, ICE has been granted approximately $75 billion in total supplemental funding, a figure that has grown significantly from the roughly $9.8 billion it received in 2024. While this funding is spread across multiple fiscal years rather than allocated as a single-year budget, it provides ICE with unprecedented financial capacity, making it one of the most heavily funded federal law enforcement agencies in recent history, and allowing the agency to continue operations with fewer constraints than other DHS components that depend on annual congressional appropriations.
In contrast, other Department of Homeland Security (DHS) components do not enjoy this level of financial flexibility. CBP, FEMA, TSA, and the Coast Guard rely primarily on annual congressional appropriations and have not received comparable supplemental funding.
Sources
Big Budget Act Creates a “Deportation-Industrial Complex” | Brennan Center for Justice
Appropriations Committees Release Homeland Security Funding Bill
How ICE became the highest-funded U.S. law enforcement agency: NPR
BILL SUMMARY: Homeland Security Fiscal Year 2026 Appropriations Bill
The federal government shutdown which lasted from October 1 to November 12, 2025, became the longest shutdown in U.S. history, lasting 43 days in total. Its impact on the immigration system, however, was inconsistent since several immigration agencies are funded by application fees rather than congressional appropriations, allowing them to continue operating even as large parts of the government closed.
For instance, USCIS continued processing applications because it is fee-funded, and most visa and passport services through the Department of State also remained available for the same reason. However, some consulates could face limitations if local fee revenue were insufficient. Similarly, at the border, CBP officers, who are classified as “essential,” kept ports of entry open, and ICE largely maintained enforcement, and immigration court operations continued.
However, other branches of the immigration system experienced significant disruption. The Department of Labor was forced to suspend all operations, suspending Labor Condition Applications (LCAs) and PERM Labor Certifications. Because these steps are required for H-1B filings and employment-based green cards, the shutdown created substantial delays. E-Verify was also unavailable, preventing employers from confirming work authorization and affecting applicants seeking STEM OPT extensions.
Additionally, the immigration courts were similarly strained. While detained dockets continued, many non-detained cases were postponed. At the same time, asylum outcomes reflected growing instability. In August 2025, only 19.2% of applicants were granted asylum, compared to 38.2% the previous year. Case completions had dropped by about a quarter since their peak in the spring, and the system faced additional pressure due to the termination of numerous immigration judges and the absence of new hires during FY 2025.
Overall, although the shutdown did not bring all immigration services to a stop, it created significant delays in employment-based immigration, work-authorization verification, and immigration court proceedings.
Sources:
Immigration Court asylum grant rates cut in half
What Happens if the Government Shuts Down
The current administration has made agreements with countries across the world, such as El Salvador, Guatemala, and South Sudan. Some of the deportees in the U.S. are being sent to these third-country destinations. In June 23 2025, the Supreme Court just ruled in favor of the Trump Administration to continue with these expedited removals to these far-away countries, regardless if it denies due-process for deportees.
The current administration is working to get more agreements from other countries, especially in Africa, to receive deportees that are not citizens of that recipient country. Currently, Uganda’s government agreed to receive deportees from the U.S., however, they said that they prefer these to be from African origin.
According to the International Refugee Assistant Project- IRAP (2025):
- Around 350 migrants deported to Panama, including many of Asian, Middle Eastern, and African origin;
- 200 migrants deported to Costa Rica, including many of European, Asian, Middle Eastern, and African origin;
- Five migrants deported to eSwatini, all of Asian or Caribbean origin;
- Eight migrants deported to South Sudan, all but one of whom were of Asian, Caribbean, or Central American origin.
Sources:
‘The whole scheme stinks’: Ugandans question deal to take US deportees
Here’s Where Trump’s Deportations Are Sending Migrants
Here are the 3rd-countries where the Trump admin is deporting migrants
As of the end of 2024, the most recent reporting period (UNHCR), 123.2 million people had been forced to flee their homes globally due to persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations or events seriously disturbing public order.
Among them were nearly 42.7 million refugees. In addition, there were 73.5 million people displaced within the borders of their own countries (IDPs) and 8.4 million asylum-seekers.
There are also 4.4 million stateless people, who have been denied a nationality and lack access to basic rights such as education, health care, employment and freedom of movement. (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees)
3 failing solutions to Forced Displacement:
- RETURN home: But this requires that the causes of displacement have been resolved. The UN has identified over 30 protracted refugee producing situations in the world, the average duration of which is 26 years. Returning home is not an option for the vast majority of refugees and asylum seekers.
- INTEGRATE into their country of refuge: But nearly 9 of 10 refugees (86%) are hosted by developing nations that are economically and socially unable to absorb the number of people seeking refuge within their borders.
- RESETTLE to another country: But during an average year, less than 1% of the world's refugee population is resettled. Few countries are willing to help by offering resettlement options to those experiencing displacement.
* Source: International Association for Refugees - IAFR.org
Children account for 29% of the world’s population, but 40% of all forcibly displaced people are children. (UNHCR)
UNHCR estimates that 2.4 million children were born into refugee life between 2018 and 2024, equivalent to some 338,000 children per year. (UNHCR)
There are three commonly attempted solutions to forced displacement—but all have serious limitations:
- Return home – This requires resolution of the conditions that caused displacement. However, most refugee-producing situations last over 26 years, making return impossible for many.
- Integrate into the country of refuge – 86% of refugees are hosted by developing nations that often lack the capacity to provide sustainable integration.
- Resettle in another country – Fewer than 1% of the world’s refugees are resettled each year, due to limited global participation and political will.
Displacement and loss have deeply impacted children across the U.S. and Latin America:
- Along the U.S.–Mexico border, up to 67% of all children who lost a parent or caregiving grandparent identify as Hispanic.
- In states like Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi, up to 57% of COVID-19 orphans identify as Black.
- In South Dakota, New Mexico, Montana, Oklahoma, and Arizona, the majority of COVID-19 orphans are Native American.
Stateless people are not recognized as citizens by any country. At least 4.3 million people are officially stateless, though the true number is likely much higher.
Abara describes migration as being driven by conflict, hope, and a future. People often migrate due to:
- Push factors: violence, poverty, persecution, or systemic injustice
- Pull factors: safety, opportunity, or family reunification
Migration is shaped by both personal realities and global systems—including unjust policies, economic interdependence, and misinformation. Few people want to leave their homeland, but many are forced to by circumstances beyond their control.
As described by scholar Sarah Quezada, migration often follows these paths:
- Blood – Family-based immigration
- Sweat – Employment-based immigration
- Tears – Refugee or asylee status
- Chance – Diversity visa lottery
Yes. Undocumented immigrants contribute around $11.74 billion annually in state and local taxes. The loss of undocumented labor would cost the U.S. economy an estimated $5 trillion over a decade.
Did you know that nearly half of Fortune 500 Companies were founded by immigrants or their children?
An increase in immigration over the 2021–2026 period boosts federal revenues as well as mandatory spending and interest on the debt in CBO’s baseline projections, lowering deficits, on net, by $0.9 trillion over the 2024–2034 period.
Sources:
Undocumented immigrants will boost economy, lower deficit, CBO says
More immigration means gains for U.S. economy, CBO says
- 65% of US adults believe that “violence in home country” is a major reason for why large numbers of migrants are seeking to enter at the border with Mexico. - PEW Research Center
- More than any other religious group, white evangelicals believe that the large migrant flow at the Southern border is contributing to more crime in the US (82%). White catholics (70%) and white non-evangelical protestants (69%) are the only other two religious groups in which the majority believe this to be true. - PEW Research Center
- Only 43% of Americans support increasing facilities for holding immigrants in the country illegally while they await decisions about deportation - PEW Research Center
- 59% of Americans disapprove of ending Temporary Protective Status (TPS) for those who already had it approved - PEW Research Center
- 61% of Americans disapprove of sending immigrants in the U.S. Illegally to a prison in El Salvador - PEW Research Center
- 78% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents approve of the administration’s approach to immigration, including 51% who strongly approve. Just 12% disapprove. In contrast, 81% of Democrats and Democratic leaners disapprove, with 63% strongly disapproving. Just 9% approve. - PEW Research Center
- Half of Americans say the administration’s approach to deporting immigrants who are living in the U.S. illegally is “too careless.” In June of 2025, about four-in-ten (39%) say the administration’s approach has been about right, while 9% say it’s been too careful. PEW Research Center
- As has long been the case, the majority of Americans (65%) say that there should be a way for undocumented immigrants to stay in the country legally, with 36% saying these immigrants should be eligible for citizenship if they meet certain requirements. PEW Research Center
- Today, 41% of Republicans and 89% of Democrats say there should be a way for undocumented immigrants to stay in the U.S. legally. In 2017, 61% of Republicans said this, as did 88% of Democrats. PEW Research Center
- The share of Republicans saying there should be a national effort to deport those in the country illegally has grown substantially over the last eight years – 56% say this in 2025, up from 34% in 2017. - PEW Research Center
- A 56% majority of Americans now favor expanding the wall along the U.S. border with Mexico, up from 46% in 2019. PEW Research Center
Top countries of origin for new U.S. immigrants as of 2025:
- Mexico: 23%
- India: 6%
- China: 5%
- Philippines: 4%
For your information:
What does DACA mean?
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals is a U.S. immigration policy that offers eligible young people who arrived in the country as children temporary protection from deportation and permission to work.
CURRENTLY: As of January 17, 2025, USCIS will continue to process DACA renewal requests and any other employment applications, but will not process new/initial requests. New submitted DACA requests will remain pending and will not be processed further until the court order is resolved (Texas v. United States). Specifically in Texas, new DACA applications are more limited.
If you or a loved one has DACA and needs resources:
Here are some low-to no-cost legal aid organizations in the region that you can contact for assistance.
- Texas RioGrande Legal Aid (TRLA)
- 301 South Texas Avenue, Mercedes, TX 78570
- (956) 996-8752
- https://www.trla.org/
- Estrella del Paso
- 2400 E. Yandell Dr., El Paso, TX 79903
- (915) 532-3975
- https://www.estrelladelpaso.org/
- Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center
- 1500 E. Yandell Dr., El Paso, TX 79902
- (915) 544- 5126
- https://www.las-americas.org/
- New Mexico Immigrant Law Center
- 625 Silver Ave SW, Albuquerque, NM 87102
- (505) 247-1023
- https://www.nmilc.org/
- National Immigration Legal Services Directory
As of August 2025, DACA recipients are no longer eligible for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Here are some resources for low to no-cost health clinics in El Paso.
- Centro de Salud Familiar La Fe
- 1314 E. Yandell, El Paso, TX 79902
- (915) 534-7979
- https://lafe-ep.org/
- Westside Free Clinic
- (915) 213-0169
- https://westsidefreeclinic.org/
- RotaCare El Paso
- 301 S Schutz Dr, El Paso, TX 79907
- (Opens most Saturdays
- (915) 790-0700
- https://rotacareelpaso.com/
Below is a Health Center locator. By entering your postal code, you can find nearby health clinics that provide low-cost or, in some cases, free medical services.
https://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov/
If you want to advocate for DACA recipients or the program’s existence:
One way you can support DACA recipients and their families is by staying involved. We encourage you to reach out to your U.S. Senators and Members of Congress to express your support for DACA recipients. Your voice can help ensure that lawmakers understand the importance of protecting Dreamers and their families.
Contact Representative of Texas’s 16th Congressional District – Congresswoman Veronica Escobar
(915) 541-1400
https://escobar.house.gov/contact/
Texas Senator John Cornyn
(202) 224-2934
https://www.cornyn.senate.gov/share-opinion/
Texas Senator Ted Cruz
(202) 224-5922
https://www.cruz.senate.gov/contact
If you are not local to El Paso, reach out to your representative
https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
Another way to support DACA recipients is to explore alternative immigration pathways, such as work visas. In some cases, employers can sponsor a DACA recipient to obtain a permanent resident card (Green Card) or a temporary work permit. Below is a guide for employers on how to begin this process.
https://www.ilrc.org/Employment-Based
https://www.coalitionfortheamericandream.us/supporting-daca-team-members/
There are also scholarship programs specifically designed for immigrant and undocumented students.
DREAM.US Scholars https://www.thedream.us/
The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) is a partner of TheDream, a program that provides scholarships to immigrant students. These scholarships facilitate access to in-state tuition and partially cover tuition and fees.
Check out this resource: https://homeishere.us/
Abara’s guide to sustainable advocacy practice: click here
World Relief’s Advocacy Guide 2025: click here
Pew Research: click here
FactCheck.org: click here
Hope Border Institute: click here
Migration Data Portal: click here
Migration Policy Institute: click here
National Immigration Forum: click here
The UN Refugee Agency: click here
We Choose Welcome: click here
World Migration Report: click here
World Relief: click here
Ready to go deeper?
Join us on a Border Encounter—a three-day, immersive experience at the U.S.–Mexico border that brings the realities of migration to life through firsthand stories, guided learning, and personal reflection.