U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has deported more than 2,000 known or suspected terrorists since January 2025, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced. The figures were released as the nation prepares to mark 25 years since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Between Jan. 20, 2025, and Sept. 9, 2026, ICE arrested over 2,150 individuals identified as known or suspected terrorists and deported 2,015 of them, according to DHS data provided to Fox News Digital. DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin stated that the agency's personnel continue to uphold their duty to protect the homeland and ensure the safety of the American people.
The anniversary of 9/11 underscores the department's commitment to "eternal vigilance," Mullin added. The attacks, which killed nearly 3,000 people, led to a significant overhaul of the nation's homeland security infrastructure, including the creation of DHS in 2002 and ICE the following year.
DHS highlighted several recent cases involving alleged terrorists and members of designated foreign terrorist organizations. In June, federal authorities arrested Abraham Hermosillo Alvarez, a Mexican national accused of being the suspected ringleader of a plot targeting UFC Freedom 250 at the White House. DHS indicated that Alvarez had overstayed a visitor visa that expired in 2001 and later received DACA status in 2014.
In another case, ICE Homeland Security Investigations arrested Felipe Linares De Oliveira Dell Aquilla, a Brazilian national identified by DHS as a former commander of two designated foreign terrorist organizations. Authorities reported seizing a handgun, cash, and electronic devices during a pursuit in North Carolina. Dell Aquilla was reportedly wanted in Brazil for criminal association and extortion charges.
Additionally, four Venezuelan members of the group Tren de Aragua pleaded guilty in May to charges related to a 2024 Bronx shooting that resulted in two deaths. DHS noted that these individuals had entered the United States illegally between 2022 and 2023. Mentioning the broader context of border enforcement, ICE has reported record-breaking arrests and deportations. According to statements from agency officials, seventy percent of those detained are convicted criminals. ICE also reported its role in rescuing over 150,000 smuggled children.