EXCLUSIVE: 25 years after 9/11, ICE says more than 2K known or suspected terrorists have been deported
ICE Reports Over 2,000 Known or Suspected Terrorists Deported Since Trump Takes Office
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a statement released on Friday, the Department of Homeland Security said that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has arrested and deported more than 2,000 people identified as known or suspected terrorists between President Donald Trump’s inauguration on January 20, 2025, and September 9, 2026. The agency’s data, released as the country prepares to observe the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, underscores the ongoing role of federal immigration enforcement in national security.
Numbers and Timeline
ICE officials confirmed that between the two dates the agency made 2,150 arrests of individuals linked to terrorism and removed 2,015 from the United States. The report, which was issued by DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, framed the numbers in the context of the 25‑year milestone of the 9/11 attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people.
Mullin said, “As we reflect on the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, the brave men and women of ICE continue to carry out their duty to protect the homeland and keep the American people safe.” He added that the anniversary “underscored the department’s commitment to eternal vigilance.”
Recent High‑Profile Arrests
The department highlighted a handful of recent cases that illustrate the agency’s work on the front lines of terrorism prevention.
Abraham Hermosillo Alvarez — A Mexican national, Alvarez was arrested in June 2026 on charges related to an alleged mass‑casualty plot aimed at UFC Freedom 250, an event scheduled to take place at the White House. DHS notes that Alvarez had overstayed a visitor visa that expired in 2001 and had later received Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status in 2014. ICE placed a detainer on him following his arrest.
Felipe Linares de Oliveira Dell Aquilla — In a separate operation, ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations division apprehended a Brazilian national who had served as a commander for two designated foreign terrorist organizations. The arrest, also in June 2026, followed a vehicle and foot pursuit in North Carolina, during which authorities recovered a handgun, cash, and several electronic devices. Aquilla is wanted in Brazil on criminal‑association and extortion charges, and investigators said he was allegedly holding his wife against her will while preparing to flee to Mexico.
Tren de Aragua members — In May 2026, four Venezuelan men who had entered the United States illegally between 2022 and 2023 pleaded guilty to charges stemming from a 2024 Bronx shooting that killed two people. The individuals were identified as members of the Tren de Aragua gang, a group the Department of Justice has previously linked to violent crime and foreign‑terrorist activity.
Context and Legacy
The announcement comes as the nation prepares to observe the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, a day that has become a focal point for remembering the victims and the first responders who rushed into danger. The attacks spurred a sweeping overhaul of the United States’ homeland‑security apparatus, including the creation of the Department of Homeland Security in 2002 and the establishment of ICE a year later.
While the agency’s figures are presented as a testament to its ongoing vigilance, critics note that the numbers are cumulative and do not indicate a direct link to specific terrorist threats. Still, the DHS statement highlights that, according to the agency, “the brave men and women of ICE continue to carry out their duty to protect the homeland and keep the American people safe.”
As the country looks back on the tragic events of September 11, 2001, officials and security experts alike emphasize the importance of maintaining robust immigration enforcement and intelligence sharing to prevent future attacks on U.S. soil.