99% of U.S. Deportees Over Four Years Came From Latin America

The fear of deportation has become a defining feature of the experience for many Latin Americans arriving in the United States.

And that’s not a coincidence. Political speeches, policy changes and law‑enforcement actions have contributed to a broader message perceived by many: that they are not welcome.

Data helps illustrate how that sentiment plays out in practice. Recent deportation figures show a pattern that aligns closely with these concerns.

Between October 2020 and September 2024, more than half a million people from 44 countries were deported from the U.S., according to data from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The total is roughly equivalent to the population of Atlanta, Georgia.

Nearly all of those deportees — 99 percent — were from Latin America.

Mexico alone accounted for 44 percent of all removals, underscoring the disproportionate impact on countries closest to the U.S. border.

But these are only the recorded figures — the real numbers are likely much higher.

And that's because ICE records only include dates on which more than ten people were deported, meaning smaller removals were not counted.

Motives behind deportations in the U.S.

In the United States, people can be deported for reasons ranging from visa overstays to criminal convictions that trigger mandatory removal.

Yet only 35% of people deported during this period had any criminal record. Most were removed for administrative or immigration‑related reasons.