The statement is not 100% exact but close enough for a reasonable person (e.g., claimed 70% vs. actual 65%). Learn more in Methodology.
DHS/ICE records and other federal removal/self-departure datasets corroborate that more than 2.6 million noncitizens were removed from the United States in the stated period.
DHS and ICE public statements in 2025 reported roughly 2.0–2.5 million people without legal status left the U.S. (combining formal ICE removals and DHS-reported “self-deportations”), but independent researchers and government data experts warned the self-deportation estimates are uncertain and based on survey inferences with large margins of error. The White House’s 2.6 million figure is an extension of DHS messaging (DHS said >2.5 million on Dec 10, 2025), but there is no authoritative, independently verifiable dataset that confirms exactly “more than 2.6 million” removals by Jan 20, 2026; comparable official ICE public dashboards report far lower counts of formal removals (hundreds of thousands) and treat voluntary returns/“self-deportations” differently. Verdict: Close — the administration’s aggregate claim is consistent with its own DHS/ICE messaging, but the underlying methodology (especially the large self-departure component) is disputed and not corroborated by independent, high‑quality data sources.