The Department of Homeland Security released new figures on Wednesday describing a combined total of more than 2.5 million people leaving the United States since January.
According to DHS, enforcement actions have led to more than 605,000 deportations since Jan. 20.
The department said it has focused on removing individuals it identifies as the most serious criminal offenders.
The agency promoted the CBP Home app as a means for individuals to arrange transportation assistance.
Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said the department's approach is producing rapid results.
"Since January 20, DHS has arrested more than 595,000 illegal aliens," McLaughlin said in a statement.
"Illegal aliens are hearing our message to leave now. They know if they don't, we will find them, we will arrest them, and they will never return."
DHS credited President Donald Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem with directing Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection to carry out targeted operations aimed at removing individuals with criminal records.
The department said the decrease in the number of people residing in the country illegally is having effects at the local level, including reduced pressure on public services and changes in job availability.
To take more control over the deportation process, DHS purchased a small fleet of Boeing 737s to handle transporting illegal aliens out of America.
DHS will shift from relying solely on charter services to operating its own aircraft after Congress approved a major funding increase for Trump's border and immigration agenda.
Congress authorized $170 billion for immigration and border operations over four years as part of the GOP tax bill, and the plane funding comes from that package.
The most recent update from ICE posted on its website about deportation flights notes the primary focus of "removing non-U.S. citizens who are in the country illegally is a core responsibility of ICE in support of the agency's mission."
Jim Mishler ✉
Jim Mishler, a seasoned reporter, anchor and news director, has decades of experience covering crime, politics and environmental issues.
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