Fox News commentator Tomi Lahren is urging President Donald Trump to move faster on one of his biggest campaign promises, arguing that the administration’s current deportation efforts are falling well short of what many conservative voters expected.
During Saturday’s edition of The Big Weekend Show, Lahren questioned why the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was celebrating its latest immigration enforcement numbers, saying they don’t reflect the large-scale deportation effort many Americans were promised.
According to DHS, the agency has deported 356,389 illegal immigrants during fiscal year 2026. But Lahren said those figures are not nearly enough.
“It’s no secret that I’m passionate about this issue,” Lahren said. “I can’t understand why DHS is celebrating around 350,000 deportations after nearly a year. That doesn’t sound like mass deportations to me.”
Lahren Says Trump Needs Faster Deportations
Lahren acknowledged that immigration officials face legal challenges, court battles, and logistical hurdles when removing illegal immigrants from the country. Even so, she argued those obstacles should not prevent the administration from dramatically increasing enforcement.
For many Trump supporters, immigration remains one of the most important issues heading into the next election cycle. Lahren said voters expect the administration to move much more aggressively after years of record illegal border crossings during President Joe Biden’s administration.
Her criticism isn’t new.
Just days before her Fox News appearance, Lahren voiced similar concerns on her OutKick podcast, saying the administration must accelerate deportations if it wants to restore confidence among conservative voters.
America First Means Enforcing Immigration Law
Lahren also called on federal officials to target employers that knowingly hire illegal immigrants, arguing that businesses benefiting from low-cost illegal labor should face greater scrutiny.
“I thought this administration stood for America First and the American worker,” Lahren said. “As a Trump voter, I don’t care if large corporations lose access to cheap illegal labor because of lawful deportations.”
She argued that stronger workplace enforcement would help discourage illegal immigration while protecting American workers and wages.
Questions Raised About Deportation Numbers
Although Lahren praised White House Border Czar Tom Homan for his leadership on border security, she questioned how immigration enforcement statistics are being reported.
According to Lahren, some encounters at the southern border—where migrants are immediately turned back—may be included alongside interior deportations in broader enforcement totals. She also suggested that additional enforcement actions conducted by agencies such as the Coast Guard could be contributing to the overall figures.
“I don’t want to say the numbers are cooked,” she joked. “But maybe they’re sautéed a little.”
Her comments reflect concerns shared by some conservatives who believe the public deserves a clearer breakdown between border turnarounds, arrests, removals, and deportations carried out inside the United States.
Trump Administration Eyes New Immigration Strategy
The debate comes as senior White House officials continue unveiling additional immigration enforcement measures.
Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller recently said the administration is exploring ways to restrict illegal immigrants’ access to America’s financial system. He argued that limiting access to banking services could encourage more illegal immigrants to leave the country voluntarily.
“Once illegal aliens lose their access to capital,” Miller said, “that is going to be a major driver of self-deportation.”
The administration has repeatedly stated that stronger border security, expanded deportations, and tougher workplace enforcement remain top priorities as it works to reverse policies put in place during the previous administration.
Immigration Remains a Defining Issue
Illegal immigration continues to rank among the top concerns for Republican voters, making enforcement one of the Trump administration’s most closely watched policy areas.
Lahren’s public criticism underscores growing pressure from some conservative voices who want to see faster action and more visible results. While the administration says it is making progress, many supporters will be watching closely to see whether deportation numbers increase in the months ahead.
As the immigration debate continues, the pace of enforcement is likely to remain a key issue for both the White House and the millions of voters who consider border security a top priority.