President Donald Trump’s campaign promise to deport millions of undocumented immigrants has not seen a significant increase in deportation rates, as revealed by a CNN analysis of deportation flight data. The numbers remain similar to those under the Biden administration, with a focus on immigration enforcement efforts highlighted by the Trump administration officials. The implementation of strict asylum restrictions has led to continued removals across the US southern border to Mexico, contributing to the deportation numbers. Despite the Trump administration’s goals of large-scale detentions and deportations, limited resources have impacted the on-the-ground realities. To address these challenges, military aircraft have been used for repatriation flights, albeit at a higher cost.

The data shows a stable pace of deportations to Latin America, with new agreements struck with multiple countries to accept third-country migrants. Top destinations for repatriation flights include Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador, consistent with past administrations. While Guatemala has pledged an increase in deportation flights, there has been a slight decrease in flights to Guatemala and Honduras, and an increase in flights to Ecuador and Colombia. The use of military aircraft for repatriation flights has led to diplomatic tensions with countries like Colombia, although agreements have been reached to resolve conflicts. The data also indicates new countries receiving deportation flights in 2025, including Brazil, Panama, and India, highlighting evolving trends in immigration enforcement.