US Immigration Crackdown: 2.2 Million Targeted by USCIS

The US immigration crackdown reached a new headline number on October 29, 2026, when the Department of Homeland Security said U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has taken enforcement actions to revoke or terminate the status of about 2.2 million people since January 20, 2025. DHS says that is nearly seven times the actions USCIS took during the final two years of the Biden administration. The agency counts several kinds of moves, including ending Temporary Protected Status, denying extensions of temporary visas, issuing Notices to Appear in immigration court, cutting off automatic extensions of work permits, and shutting down group parole programs. The figure is a count of actions, not a count of people removed from the country, and DHS has not said whether every one of the 2.2 million actually lost status. We’ll be updating this article monthly as new federal data comes out.

That distinction matters for readers trying to make sense of the headlines. USCIS is the agency that normally handles green cards, work permits and citizenship, and its new role in enforcement is one of the biggest shifts of this term. The 2.2 million number sits on top of separate figures from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which has been arresting nearly 50,000 people a month, and from the State Department, which has revoked and denied visas on a large scale. Independent researchers put total deportations at roughly 980,000 in the first 18 months. Below, we separate the official claims from the verified data, lay out the dates and legal rulings behind the numbers, and explain what affected families, employers and workers can do next.

US Immigration Crackdown Key Highlights

Key Dates in the Immigration Crackdown Timeline

What the 2.2 Million Number Actually Counts?

The DHS announcement says USCIS has carried out about 2.2 million actions to revoke or terminate the status of people it describes as in the country illegally. The agency listed five categories. The first is the end of Temporary Protected Status for more than one million people from 13 countries. The second is the denial of requests to extend or change nonimmigrant status when officers find no legal basis. The third is the issuing of Notices to Appear, the court papers that start removal proceedings. The fourth is the end of automatic extensions for work permits. The fifth is the termination of group parole programs, including the one that allowed roughly 500,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans to fly into the country.

Two cautions apply. First, one person can be counted more than once, for example when a TPS termination is followed by a work permit denial and then a Notice to Appear. Second, DHS has not released a breakdown showing how many actions fall into each category, so the 2.2 million cannot yet be checked line by line. Outlets that reported the announcement noted that it is unclear whether all of those people actually lost status. Treat the number as the government’s own tally of paperwork actions, useful for understanding the scale of the policy shift but not a measure of how many people left the country.

The release also did not include the millions of visa revocations and denials issued by the State Department, nor ICE removals, which DHS said are separate from the USCIS total. That is why the real reach of the crackdown is larger than any single figure suggests.

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Do Not Confuse It With the Other 2.2 Million Claim

Readers searching this topic often run into a second 2.2 million figure, and mixing them up leads to wrong conclusions. In January 2026, DHS said 2.2 million people in the country illegally had voluntarily left since the start of the term, with tens of thousands using the CBP Home app. The Brookings Institution questioned that figure at the time, saying it should not be treated as credible information, and CNN reported it was unclear what method DHS used.

The October number is different. It counts USCIS actions against status, while the January number was a claim about people leaving. They share a digit and little else. When you see 2.2 million in a headline, check whether it describes actions taken against status or departures, and who is supplying the figure.

How Many People Has the US Actually Deported? Independent Estimates

The most detailed outside count comes from the Migration Policy Institute, which estimated about 980,000 deportations by ICE and Customs and Border Protection between January 20, 2025 and July 31, 2026. Of that total, about 580,000 were formal removals and about 300,000 were enforcement returns, with the remainder in other categories. Roughly 340,000 were immediate turnarounds at the border by CBP, another 340,000 were people arrested at the border and later deported by ICE, and about 300,000 involved people arrested inside the United States.

Only about 20 percent of the 980,000, or 190,000 people, had a criminal conviction. That finding drives much of the debate, because the administration has described its priorities as public safety while critics point to the share without convictions. ICE’s own custody data from July 2026 shows 65,765 people in detention, of whom 19,329 were convicted of crimes and 20,247 faced pending charges. That works out to roughly 29 percent with convictions, which is consistent with reports that about 70 percent of detainees have none.

The administration puts the number higher. DHS has said nearly 1.1 million people were deported and more than 1.1 million arrested as of early September, and the White House has claimed 1.2 million removals in this term, a figure analysts say they cannot verify. A separate analysis found the pace had slipped short of the one million deportations a year that officials promised when Congress approved billions in new enforcement money. The honest summary is that deportations are running at a historically high level but below the stated goal, and that the claims differ depending on whether you count border turnarounds and returns.

ICE Arrests and Detention: The Pace in 2026

ICE data shows the pace of arrests rose sharply through the summer. June 2026 set a record at 43,138 arrests, and July topped that with nearly 50,000, the highest monthly total of the term. More than 10,000 people were arrested over five days in late June. Officials had reportedly set a target of 2,000 arrests a day, and June averaged about 1,438.

Removals are climbing too. ICE logged 356,389 removals in fiscal year 2026 through July 11, already above the 319,980 recorded for all of fiscal 2025. At that pace, the agency could challenge the modern record of 438,421 removals set in fiscal 2013. MPI estimated that ICE was on track for about 230,000 deportations resulting from arrests inside the country in fiscal 2026, slightly below the levels of fiscal 2008 and 2009. Fiscal year 2026 ended on September 30, and full-year figures are expected to be revised as cases are confirmed.

DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin has said he wants to carry out the mass deportation agenda without the controversy that surrounded earlier regional surges, and has described enforcement as continuing in a quieter way. That is a change in style, not in goal, and the monthly data suggest volume has not dropped.

TPS Termination: The Biggest Single Driver of the 2.2 Million

Temporary Protected Status covered about 1.3 million people from 17 countries at the start of 2025. The administration has ended or moved to end protections for 13 of them: Afghanistan, Burma, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen. Venezuela alone accounted for roughly 600,000 people across its 2021 and 2023 designations, and Haiti for about 331,000.

The turning point was Mullin v. Doe. On June 25, 2026, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that the TPS statute bars courts from reviewing non-constitutional challenges to a termination. That cleared the way for Haiti and Syria protections, covering about 334,000 people, to end on July 1. Lower courts then lifted remaining stays, and an August 18 ruling removed the last legal roadblock. Reports say deportation flights have since resumed for nationals of affected countries.

For people who held TPS, the practical effect is immediate. Work permits tied to the designation stop being valid, and the person is generally without lawful status unless they have another basis to stay. Some may qualify for asylum, a family petition or another form of relief, which is why speaking with a licensed attorney or accredited representative matters.

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USCIS Becomes an Enforcement Agency: Notices to Appear and Armed Agents

One of the quietest but biggest changes is the shift in what USCIS does. The agency, traditionally a benefits processor, now issues Notices to Appear far more often. DHS reported about 196,600 NTAs in 2025, along with more than 14,400 referrals to ICE. The agency has also gained law enforcement powers that let it make arrests and refer cases for prosecution on its own, which immigration lawyers say discourages people from using legal pathways.

The new tally also reflects an end to automatic extensions of employment authorization documents, which means some workers who once kept working while renewals were pending now face gaps. Employers should check expiration dates in advance and not assume a pending renewal keeps authorization alive.

On October 28, civil rights groups filed a lawsuit in federal court in California against DHS and USCIS over a voter verification effort that they say targets naturalized citizens. The case adds a new front to the debate, and its outcome could shape how the agency uses its databases ahead of the midterms.

Project Homecoming and the $2,600 Self-Departure Payment

The government has paired enforcement with incentives. Under Project Homecoming, people who register through the CBP Home app and leave the country can receive a stipend, which DHS raised from $1,000 to $2,600 in January 2026, plus help with travel. A document reviewed by CNN showed about 72,000 people had used the program, and 37,281 of them were already in ICE detention at the time. Experts quoted in coverage noted that many people leave on their own each year, so the program’s true effect is hard to measure.

Voluntary departure is also showing up in immigration courts. More than 35,000 cases ended in voluntary departure in fiscal 2025, compared with about 9,000 the year before. Anyone considering departure should understand the consequences first, since leaving after a removal order can bring multi-year bars on returning, while voluntary departure granted by a judge can carry fewer penalties.

How to Check Your Case Status and Apply for Relief?

Anyone worried about their situation should start with documents. Follow these steps.

Step 1: confirm your current status and the expiration date on each document. Look at your I-94, work permit, TPS approval notice and any court notice.

Step 2: check your USCIS case in your online account at my.uscis.gov or with your receipt number on the USCIS case status page. If you have a court case, use the EOIR automated case status system with your A-number.

Step 3: make sure USCIS has your current address. Changes are reported on Form AR-11, and missing a notice can lead to an order issued in your absence.

Step 4: talk to a licensed immigration attorney or a Department of Justice accredited representative before filing anything. Options such as asylum, adjustment of status, cancellation of removal or a family petition depend on facts that only a professional can assess.

Step 5: file on time and keep proof of filing. A late application can end an otherwise valid option.

Be cautious about notarios and online services that promise guaranteed results. Fraud aimed at immigrants is common during periods of high anxiety.

Processing Time: How Long Do USCIS and Court Cases Take?

USCIS does not publish a single wait time, because each form and field office has its own range. The agency’s online processing times tool shows the current estimate for your form and location, and immigration advocates have reported that waits have grown longer this term as staff have shifted toward enforcement and added vetting. Immigration court cases vary even more, from a few months for detained dockets to years for non-detained ones. Because of that, avoid planning around an exact date, and keep checking your case status. If your work permit renewal is pending, plan for a gap rather than relying on an automatic extension.

Payment Schedule: Fees, Stipends and Costs to Plan For

Money questions come up in three places. First, filing fees. USCIS fees depend on the form and have changed in recent years, so always check the current fee on the form page and pay the exact amount, since a wrong payment can lead to a rejected filing. Second, legal costs. Many nonprofits offer free or low cost help, and the Department of Justice maintains lists of recognized organizations. Third, the Project Homecoming stipend, which is paid after the app confirms the person has left the country, not in advance. The program has no published payment calendar, and reports have described delays in some cases, so nobody should rely on the payment to fund a departure.

What Employers, Families and Workers Should Do Now

Employers should audit work authorization documents with a calendar of expiration dates, apply the same I-9 rules to every employee, and avoid asking for more or different documents than the law requires, which can itself lead to discrimination claims. Families with mixed status should keep copies of identification, status papers and the contact details of an attorney in one place, and make a plan for children’s care. Workers with expiring documents should talk to an attorney well before the date.

Naturalized citizens and green card holders should carry proof of status. The vast majority are never questioned, but recent lawsuits show that tension around data reviews has reached people with lawful status as well.

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Official Resources and Links

US Immigration Crackdown FAQs

Conclusion

The US immigration crackdown now runs across several agencies, and the 2.2 million figure from USCIS captures only one part of it. The number measures actions taken against status, not removals, and it should be read next to ICE arrest data, independent deportation estimates of about 980,000, and the TPS terminations that followed the Supreme Court’s June ruling. For people affected, the best steps are practical ones: confirm your status and deadlines, keep your address current with USCIS, use official tools to track your case, and speak to a licensed attorney or accredited representative before making any decision. This article is general information and not legal advice, and the numbers will change as DHS and the courts release more data.