Candidate Trump’s Deportation Pledge Faces White House Reality

May 9, 2025, 9:00 AM UTC

Then-candidate Donald Trump repeatedly promised to deport millions of undocumented immigrants if he was returned to office — but as president, he is tempering that pledge as his administration confronts logistical and legal hurdles.

Trump’s border crackdown has resulted in a massive drop in illegal border crossings in his first 100 days. Yet as the White House celebrates one of Trump’s most tangible wins, it may be forced to reevaluate Trump’s expansive plan to to remove 11 million undocumented immigrants already living and working in the interior of the US, many without criminal records.

Trump’s pivot on a signature promise ...

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