The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is rolling out a massive $200 million advertising campaign with a stark message for undocumented migrants: “We will find you and deport you.” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem announced the initiative last week.
The two-year campaign will utilize a variety of media platforms, including TV, radio, and digital channels, to reach both domestic and international audiences. According to DHS, the ads will be “hyper-targeted” through social media, text messaging, and other digital means to reach undocumented immigrants within the United States and dissuade potential border crossers abroad.
In an initial ad, Noem praised President Trump for “securing the border” and directly addressed migrants, saying,
“I’m Kristi Noem, the United States Secretary of Homeland Security. Thank you, President Donald J. Trump, for securing our border, for deporting criminal, illegal immigrants and for putting America first. President Trump has a clear message for those that are in our country illegally. Leave now. If you don’t, we will find you and we will deport you. You will never return. For too long, weak politicians left our borders wide open. They flooded our communities with drugs, human trafficking and violent criminals. They put American lives at risk. Well, those days are over. If you leave now, you may have an opportunity to return and enjoy our freedom and live the American dream. But understand this. Under President Trump, America’s borders are closed to lawbreakers. Follow the law and you’ll find opportunity. Break it and you’ll find consequences. The choice is yours. America welcomes those who respect our laws. Because a strong nation is a safe nation.”
This initiative comes as the Trump administration intensifies its focus on border security and immigration enforcement, including the resumption of deportation flights and plans to expand detention facilities at Guantanamo Bay.
Recent data challenges the notion that ICE arrests under Trump’s administration have primarily focused on individuals with criminal records. In early February 2025, ICE detained 4,422 people, with 41% having no criminal convictions or pending charges. This pattern continues, as reports from ProPublica and the Texas Tribune reveal that between January 20 and early February, nearly 14,000 migrants were taken into custody, yet only 44% had prior criminal records, close to half were convicted of misdemeanors.
The current number of unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. is estimated at 11.5 million. According to Pew Research, 77% of immigrants are legally in the United States. As of 2022, 49% were naturalized citizens, 24% were lawful permanent residents, 4% were legal temporary residents and 23% were unauthorized immigrants. According to ABC, as of 2022, approximately 40% of the 11 million unauthorized immigrants living in the United States were visa overstays.
According to Reuters, Trump deported 37,660 people during his first month in office. According to ProPublica, the Trump administration has been carrying out an average of 500 deportations per day—significantly fewer than the 2,100 daily deportations recorded during the 2024 fiscal year under President Biden. However, this decline may be linked to a decrease in border crossings, which have been on a downward trend since last year.
