Data Opacity Shrouds True Scale of Mass Deportation Campaign; Administration Releases Less Reliable Statistics Than Predecessors

The administration's data sharing practices obscure the true scale of mass deportation operations. ICE detention rose 75% to record levels exceeding 66,000 by end of 2025, with 2026 tracking worse for detention deaths than 2025's record year. A $915M 'self-deportation' app has processed 72,000 departures, though 37,281 were already in ICE custody, inflating voluntary departure figures. Data releases under this administration are measurably less reliable than predecessors, complicating independent oversight.