The Denver Post’s Deportation Delusion: Misleading Millions on Immigration Realities

The Denver Post’s May 9, 2025, editorial claims the DOJ and Trump aim to deport “millions of residents whose only crime is immigration,” implying a broad sweep of legal immigrants. This is inaccurate.

DHS, ICE, USCIS, and CBP focus deportation efforts on illegal aliens and criminals, not lawful immigrants.

ICE’s April 15, 2025, Enforcement and Removal Operations Statistics confirm deportations target those with criminal charges, visa overstays, or repeated illegal reentries—categories explicitly involving unlawful presence or criminal activity.

The White House’s January 21, 2025, directive further emphasizes detaining “removable aliens” violating immigration law, not legal residents.

DHS’s self-deportation program via the CBP Home App, announced earlier, offers stipends to illegal aliens, incentivizing voluntary departure while deprioritizing their detention.

Legal immigrants with valid status are not targeted; the focus remains on enforcing immigration law against illegal entrants and criminals.

Today, I signed an Executive Order to launch the first-ever self-deportation program. Illegal aliens who stay in America face punishments, including—sudden deportation, in a place and manner solely of our discretion. TO ALL ILLEGAL ALIENS: BOOK YOUR FREE FLIGHT RIGHT NOW! pic.twitter.com/LO4eyfhZOq

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 10, 2025

From the Editorial Board: Trump and the DOJ are trying to tear down sanctuary policies in Colorado so they can use local law enforcement to conduct mass deportations — rounding up millions of residents whose only crime is immigration. https://t.co/Zw6GHyvULq

— The Denver Post (@denverpost) May 9, 2025