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Where can I find authoritative, year-by-year deportation statistics and raw datasets for research (DHS, ICE, DOJ)?
Executive summary
For authoritative year-by-year deportation counts and raw datasets, the primary government sources are DHS/OHSS (the Persist Dataset and Enforcement Lifecycle reports), ICE’s statistics pages and FOIA-released records, and CBP’s encounter datasets — each publishes different slices of removals, encounters, arrests and detention data (see OHSS Persist/Dashboard, ICE statistics page, CBP nationwide encounters) [1] [2] [3]. Independent aggregators such as the Deportation Data Project have obtained and posted individual-level ICE FOIA data and cleaned files that researchers frequently use when OHSS/ICE public reporting is incomplete or irregular [4] [5].
1. Where the government publishes year-by-year counts — the official starting points
DHS’s Office of Homeland Security Statistics (OHSS) is the statistical “system of record” and publishes monthly and annual enforcement tables plus enforcement lifecycle reports tied to the Persist Dataset, which are designed for longitudinal analysis of removals, returns and related events [1] [6]. ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) statistics page posts counts and summaries (removals, returns, book-ins, etc.), though recent public presentation has sometimes shifted toward press releases and less granular regular releases [2] [7]. CBP posts Nationwide Encounters and monthly border statistics that are essential for understanding border-initiated removals and Title 8/Title 42 classification changes [3].
2. Raw datasets and individual-level records researchers rely on
When researchers need person‑level or month‑by‑month raw files, the Deportation Data Project has published anonymized, individual-level ICE datasets obtained via FOIA (covering arrests, detentions, removals and related events) and provides cleaned versions and documentation useful for longitudinal work [4] [8]. UC Berkeley and other academic writeups note those DDP files track individuals through enforcement lifecycles and are publicly downloadable for analysis [9] [5].
3. Strengths and limits of each source — what they do and what they don’t
OHSS/Persist is authoritative and intended to reconcile multiple systems, but its outputs can lag and are complex because an individual touches multiple data systems during an enforcement lifecycle [1] [6]. ICE’s public pages give convenient topline numbers but — according to reporting and analysis — the agency has at times reduced routine detailed publication and relied on press releases, complicating trend validation [2] [7]. CBP encounter data is robust for border activity but does not represent interior ICE removals or provide full demographic or criminality linkage by itself [3].
4. Practical workflow for a year-by-year research dataset
Start with OHSS monthly and Enforcement Lifecycle reports to get official annual series and variable definitions [1] [6]. Cross-check ICE public statistics pages for ERO totals and detention snapshots [2]. For person‑level analysis, download the Deportation Data Project FOIA releases and the DDP’s processed/cleaned files; use them to reproduce monthly counts and validate government totals, but follow DDP’s citation guidance (cite government data provided by ICE via DDP) [8] [4].
5. Known data caveats and contested interpretations
Independent analysts warn DDP/ICE raw files can contain duplicates or coding inconsistencies that require validation; journalists and scholars have documented discrepancies between FOIA data, prior OHSS releases, and new DHS toplines — meaning careful cleaning and triangulation are essential [10] [7]. Policy actors and DHS press statements sometimes report aggregated “removals + self‑deportations” or different time windows, producing headline totals that are difficult to replicate from underlying records without the FOIA datasets [11] [12].
6. Where to find the links and metadata you’ll need
OHSS monthly tables, Persist Dataset documentation and Enforcement Lifecycle reports are on DHS/OHSS pages [1] [6]. ICE’s statistics and detention snapshots are on ice.gov/statistics and related pages [2]. The Deportation Data Project (deportationdata.org) hosts FOIA‑obtained ICE files, cleaned derivatives and FAQs explaining limitations and citation practices [4] [8]. For CBP border‑encounter series and downloadable portals, use the CBP Nationwide Encounters and CBP Data Portal pages [3].
7. Balance and next steps for your project
If you need reproducible, year‑by‑year totals for publication, rely on OHSS/ICE official tables for headline series and use DDP person‑level FOIA files to validate, disaggregate, and run robustness checks — but document cleaning rules and gaps because multiple reporters and scholars have found mismatches and reporting cadence changes in 2024–2025 [1] [4] [10]. If you want, tell me which years, variables (removals, returns, voluntary departures, criminality), and file format you prefer and I’ll map exact OHSS/ICE/DDP files and the likely pitfalls to watch for [1] [8] [4].