Noem Says 1.6 Million Illegals Have Self-Deported: ‘The World Got The Message’
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced Thursday that more than 1.6 million illegal immigrants have self-deported in the 200 days since President Donald Trump took office for his second term. Noem said the surge in voluntary departures proves that Trump’s aggressive border and immigration policies are working as intended, sending a clear message worldwide that the United States will no longer tolerate illegal entry or residency.
In a post on X, Noem highlighted the impact of the numbers, calling it a win for American citizens. “In less than 200 days, 1.6 MILLION illegal immigrants have left the United States population. This is massive. This means safer streets, taxpayer savings, pressure off of schools and hospital services and better job opportunities for Americans,” she wrote.
In less than 200 days, 1.6 MILLION illegal immigrants have left the United States population. This is massive. This means safer streets, taxpayer savings, pressure off of schools and hospital services and better job opportunities for Americans.
Thank you @POTUS Trump!
— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) August 14, 2025
During a Fox News appearance, Noem credited Trump’s direct approach and his insistence that laws already on the books be enforced. “We have 1.6 million illegal immigrants that have left this country voluntarily,” she explained. “And I think these numbers just show exactly the genius of Donald J. Trump, the brilliant mind that he has, that when he was elected in November, he knew he had to make America safe again.”
? @Sec_Noem: 1.6M illegal aliens have voluntarily left the United States.
“The world got the message. They’re leaving on their own, which is the best thing for American citizens.” https://t.co/NmKYlSMWJX pic.twitter.com/I1Hu6zt4m5
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) August 14, 2025
According to Noem, Trump instructed her from the start that the Department of Homeland Security would launch public messaging campaigns around the globe warning that illegal residency would no longer be tolerated and that consequences would follow. The effect, she said, has been immediate and decisive. “Overwhelmingly, the world got the message. They’re leaving on their own, which is the best thing for American citizens.”
The announcement comes as Trump continues to expand deportation operations in sanctuary cities and invest in detention infrastructure in states like Florida and Indiana. The administration argues that self-deportation, combined with stepped-up enforcement, is easing the strain on American communities, schools, and hospitals, while also improving job opportunities for U.S. workers.
For Noem, the numbers are not just statistics but a reflection of Trump’s law-and-order philosophy. By restoring credibility to immigration enforcement, she said, the administration has achieved what critics once claimed was impossible: mass reductions in the illegal immigrant population without endless court battles or overburdened detention facilities.
With millions already leaving voluntarily and deportation centers like Florida’s “Alligator Alcatraz” operating at full capacity, Trump and Noem say the system is finally shifting back toward one that protects American citizens first.