Uncontrolled Borders, Rising Threats: The Deadly Price of Inaction and Why Deportations Are a National Imperative
For years, America’s failure to enforce immigration law has created a public safety and national security crisis. Millions of illegal entries, violent crimes, cartel infiltration, and a fentanyl epidemic have torn through communities. Deportation is not about politics—it is about protecting American lives. And recent history shows what happens when enforcement is ignored. Those committing crimes must immediately be deported, no exception. For those not committing crimes, a path for legal status must occur.
📆 How Did We Get Here?
2021–2023: Enforcement Restricted Under Biden Administration
On Day One, Biden ended “Remain in Mexico,” halted wall construction, and paused most deportations.
February 2021 DHS guidance limited ICE to arresting only aggravated felons and terror suspects—blocking agents from acting on most illegal entrants.
ICE officers testified they were “disallowed to do their job”, while sanctuary policies compounded the problem.
Result: 6+ million border encounters, 1.7+ million “gotaways,” and record-high fentanyl deaths.
2024: Public Outcry Sparks a Shift
After the murders of Jocelyn Nungaray and Laken Riley, and with fentanyl killing over 70,000 Americans a year, public anger exploded.
Under political pressure, Biden loosened restrictions, and deportations surged to 271,000 in FY 2024—the highest in a decade.
But ICE officers called this “political theater”: core restrictions remained, and millions released during earlier years were never accounted for.
📊 The Reality in Numbers
According to ICE’s FY 2024 report:
113,431 non-citizens arrested
71.7% had criminal convictions or pending charges
Total charges: 516,050, including:
57,081 assaults
18,579 sexual assaults
12,895 weapons violations
11,822 burglaries
5,462 robberies
2,894 homicides
2,766 kidnappings
FY 2025 ICE Enforcement Snapshot (Through Q2) Under Trump Administration
(Reported by ICE in press statements and data dashboards)
Total Arrests (first half of FY 2025): ~180,000
Deportations/Removals: ~160,000 (on pace to exceed 300,000 by year-end, highest in U.S. history)
% with Criminal Convictions or Charges: ~74%
Primary Offense Categories:
Assault: ~30,000
Sex Offenses: ~10,000
Weapons: ~6,500
Homicide-related: ~1,400
Drug Offenses: ~25,000
Key Difference Under 2025 Enforcement:
Trump administration reinstated full interior enforcement.
Arrest quotas reportedly tripled (ICE targeting 3,000 daily apprehensions).
Large operations in sanctuary cities resumed, with ICE reporting arrests of thousands of non-criminal but deportable individuals.
Behind each number is a victim. And many of these crimes were preventable.
🧨 Real Victims of Non-Enforcement
Jocelyn Nungaray (12) – Houston: abducted, raped, and murdered by two Venezuelan migrants released under lenient policies.
Laken Riley – Georgia: a college student brutally killed while jogging by an undocumented migrant previously allowed to stay.
Megan Bos – Illinois: decapitated by a repeat offender ICE was restricted from detaining earlier.
Houston Sex-Trafficking Case – A Honduran national held a woman hostage, beating and sexually abusing her for five days.
These tragedies underscore the cost of ignoring immigration enforcement.
💀 Cartels and the Fentanyl Catastrophe
This crisis isn’t just about illegal entry—it’s about cartels weaponizing the border.
DEA: 6 in 10 counterfeit pills contain lethal fentanyl.
Enough fentanyl seized in 2024 to kill 119 million Americans.
Cartels like Sinaloa and Jalisco exploited overwhelmed border agents to traffic poison into our communities.
Every unsecured mile of border is a profit center for criminal enterprises—and a death sentence for Americans.
🚔 Why Deportation Saves Lives
Deportation is not cruelty—it is common sense:
Removes violent criminals who target U.S. communities.
Disrupts cartel and trafficking networks operating inside America.
Prevents repeat offenses—many criminal aliens commit multiple crimes before facing action.
Without deportations, these threats multiply.
🛑 The Consequences of Delay
For three years, America gambled with safety. Inaction emboldened smugglers, traffickers, and gangs. The surge of illegal migration overwhelmed law enforcement, and the fentanyl crisis escalated into a national health emergency.
When immigration laws go unenforced, the cost is paid in American blood.
✅ The Path Forward
Fully restore ICE authority: End restrictive enforcement guidelines.
Prioritize criminal removals: Immediate deportation of all convicted violent offenders.
Secure the border: Physical barriers, technology, and manpower to choke off cartel smuggling.
Treat fentanyl as a national security threat: Aggressive interdiction and penalties for traffickers.
Deportation isn’t optional—it’s a moral and legal obligation to protect our citizens.
Bottom Line
Deportations save lives. They always have. The failure to act swiftly allowed this crisis to grow, and only after public outrage did changes come. America cannot afford another cycle of delay. Strong enforcement is not about politics—it is about survival.
References
American Immigration Council. (2025). Debunking the myth of immigrants and crime. Washington, DC: American Immigration Council.
Cato Institute. (2025). Illegal immigrants and crime rates in the United States. Washington, DC: Cato Institute.
Congressional Research Service. (2024). Immigration enforcement actions: Trends and issues. Washington, DC: CRS.
Department of Homeland Security. (2025). Enforcement and removal operations: Quarterly report, FY 2025 Q2. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Drug Enforcement Administration. (2024). Fentanyl crisis briefing: Counterfeit pills and overdose deaths. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice.
Fox News. (2024, September). Tens of thousands of illegal immigrants with sexual assault, homicide convictions roaming U.S. streets. Fox News.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement. (2024). ICE fiscal year 2024 annual report: Enforcement and removal operations statistics. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement. (2025). FY 2025 enforcement statistics through Q2. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
National Institute of Justice. (2024). Immigrants and crime: Myths and realities in the United States. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice.
New York Post. (2024, September). Shocking data shows 15K illegal immigrants accused of murder as Kamala Harris visits border. New York Post.
Reuters. (2024, September). Fact check: No evidence 4,000 people are killed yearly by undocumented immigrants. Reuters.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection. (2025). Border enforcement statistics: Criminal alien arrests FY 2018–2025. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Washington Post. (2025). ICE arrests surge under new enforcement priorities. The Washington Post.
