Fact check: How many cases of mistaken deportation of US citizens by ICE have been reported in 2024?

1. Summary of the results

Based on the available analyses, at least one confirmed case of mistaken deportation of a US citizen by ICE has been reported in 2024. The case involves Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who has protected legal status and was sent to El Salvador due to an administrative error by ICE ^{[1] [2]}. A federal judge ordered his return, highlighting the Trump administration's alleged disregard for due process ^[2].

Additional cases of wrongful detention (though not necessarily deportation) of US citizens were also reported, including Juan Carlos Lopez-Gomez and Jose Hermosillo, who were detained by ICE despite being US citizens ^[3]. Another case involves Kristina Ramirez, a US citizen who claims she was detained by CBP for three days, though this case is still under investigation and does not confirm deportation ^[4].

The analyses also reference historical cases, such as Miguel Silvestre, a US-born citizen who was wrongfully deported twice in 1999 and was recently targeted for deportation again in 2025 ^[5].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question focuses specifically on 2024 cases, but the analyses reveal important missing context:

• Historical pattern: The problem of mistaken deportations is not new, as evidenced by Miguel Silvestre's case from 1999, suggesting this is a systemic issue that predates 2024 ^[5].
• Distinction between deportation and detention: Several sources highlight cases of wrongful detention that may not have resulted in actual deportation, indicating the scope of the problem may be broader than just completed deportations ^{[3] [4]}.
• Administrative vs. intentional errors: The Garcia case is described as an "administrative error," which suggests these incidents may result from bureaucratic failures rather than deliberate targeting ^[1].
• Government defense: DHS actively defends against claims of deporting American children, stating that in mentioned cases, mothers chose to bring their US citizen children with them when they were deported ^{[6] [7]}.
• Broader immigration enforcement context: ICE removed nearly 68,000 noncitizens in the third quarter of fiscal year 2024, representing a nearly 70% increase over the previous year, which may increase the likelihood of administrative errors ^[8].

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question appears neutral and factual in nature, seeking specific data about mistaken deportations in 2024. However, there are several considerations:

• Limited data availability: The analyses suggest that comprehensive statistics on mistaken deportations may not be readily available or systematically tracked, making it difficult to provide a complete answer to the question.
• Definitional challenges: The distinction between deportation, detention, and voluntary departure with children creates complexity in determining what constitutes a "mistaken deportation" ^{[6] [7]}.
• Political context: The issue occurs within a highly politicized immigration enforcement environment, where both the Trump administration's policies and advocacy groups like the ACLU have vested interests in how these cases are portrayed ^{[3] [2] [7]}.
• Incomplete reporting: The question assumes that all cases of mistaken deportation are reported and documented, but systemic issues and due process concerns suggest some cases may go unreported or unresolved ^{[3] [2]}.