White House: Zero Illegal Immigrants Released in US Over Past 9 Months

Addressing reporters during a press briefing on February 5, Leavitt said, "Zero illegals were released into our homeland over the past nine months. This is a truly remarkable achievement."

She said the administration's immigration enforcement policies had contributed to a significant drop in crime across the country, despite criticism from Democrats and sections of the media.

"Even as Democrats and the liberal media are engaged in hysteria about this administration arresting and deporting violent criminal illegal aliens, the undeniable truth is that deporting these individuals is one of the primary reasons why America's streets are safer today than they were one year ago," Leavitt said.

Citing newly released data, the Press Secretary said crime had declined sharply under President Donald Trump's leadership.

"The drop in crime is more proof that all that is required to improve public safety on our streets is a leader with the will to do what is necessary to protect law-abiding American citizens," she said.

Leavitt said nearly eight in ten Americans supported the deportation of illegal immigrants, while two in three backed the administration's requirement that state and local authorities cooperate with federal agencies and hand over criminal illegal immigrants held in local jails.

On immigration policy, she said President Trump remained firm on enforcement while seeking to keep the government funded and operational.

"When it comes to any discussions about immigration policy, the President is never going to waver in his commitment to allow immigration enforcement efforts in this country," she said.

Leavitt also referred to a recent incident in which four Americans were killed by an illegal immigrant, saying the individual had been paroled into the country by the previous administration using the CBP One app.

"That's not how immigration in this country should work," she said.

She said President Trump had urged Congress to pass the SAVE America Act, which she said would ensure compliance with federal election law by removing non-citizens from voter rolls and requiring voter ID and proof of citizenship for registration.

Leavitt also reiterated that the Office of the Director of National Intelligence held statutory responsibility for counterintelligence matters related to election security.

Responding to a question on whether President Trump remained committed to deporting an estimated 20 million illegal immigrants who entered the country under the previous administration, Leavitt said, "Yes, and the President has always been committed to that."

In a post on X later, Leavitt said newly released data showed the murder rate in America's largest cities had fallen in 2025 to its lowest level since at least 1900, marking the largest single-year drop on record.

She said," President Trump promised to restore law and order to the United States. Newly released data proves he is delivering: the murder rate in America's largest cities plummeted in 2025 to its lowest level since at least 1900 -- marking the largest single-year drop in murders on record. This dramatic decline is what happens when a President secures the border, fully mobilizes federal law enforcement to arrest violent criminals, and aggressively deports the worst illegal alien offenders."

- ANI