Washington, March 3 (NationPress) Almost three million undocumented immigrants have departed from the United States during President Donald Trump's second term, according to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem. This shift is attributed to intensified enforcement measures, which Noem outlined in her testimony to lawmakers, presenting a robust defense of the administration's immigration strategy.

"Almost three million undocumented immigrants have exited the United States due to our enforcement initiatives," Noem stated.

This figure comprises "2.2 million who voluntarily returned to their home countries" and "over 675,000 detentions and deportations."

Noem highlighted a significant transformation in border enforcement statistics.

"Daily encounters at the southwestern border have plummeted by 96 percent compared to the Biden administration's average," she testified, noting that the US has achieved "the lowest recorded levels in the history of US Customs and Border Protection."

For "ten consecutive months," she reported, "the Border Patrol has not released any undocumented immigrants into the interior of the United States."

Chairman Charles Grassley referred to separate statistics indicating that "in 2025, border crossings dropped by 93 percent."

Noem also emphasized arrests concerning national security and gang affiliations.

ICE has apprehended "more than 1,500 known or suspected terrorists" and "over 7,700 known gang members," she added.

"A significant portion of those arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement have prior criminal records," she remarked.

Regarding narcotics, she stated that fentanyl trafficking at the southern border has decreased by over 56 percent compared to the same timeframe in 2024.

Overall interdiction efforts, she noted, have thwarted "1.7 billion lethal doses of narcotics" from entering American communities.

Unaccompanied minors were also a major concern.

Under the previous administration, "over 450,000 unaccompanied minors went missing," Noem said, adding that DHS has "located around 145,000 of them," promising, "we will not rest until every single child is accounted for."

She also pointed out an alarming "8,000 percent increase in death threats" against ICE officers and their families, along with a "more than 1,300 percent increase in assaults."

Democrats presented opposing data.

Senator Richard Durbin mentioned that fewer than 14 percent of immigrants arrested during Trump's first year back in office faced charges or convictions for violent crimes.

He also highlighted what he termed a "3,000 person a day arrest target," suggesting that such a quota would necessitate enforcement beyond the "most dangerous individuals."

Noem defended DHS's actions, stating that the agency is enforcing laws established by Congress and justified the use of administrative warrants as "the processes that Congress has provided us."

In the "400,000 instances where ICE has utilized these warrants, they have only entered a residence 28 times," she noted.

The hearing showcased how immigration policy in Washington has evolved into a contest of statistics and ideology.

Republicans cite declining encounters, mass exits, and drug interdictions as evidence of regained border control.

Democrats argue that headline figures obscure due process issues and the human costs of enforcement.

Immigration continues to be one of the most contentious topics in US politics.

The DHS, established following the September 11 attacks that resulted in the loss of nearly 3,000 American lives, now stands at the heart of this debate—navigating the balance between border security, enforcement, and constitutional rights in a sharply divided political landscape.