The mass deportations will continue. ... We’re not kneecapping ICE. We’re not doing it. We’re not going to take away the tools that they have to deport criminals in this country who are raping and murdering American sons and daughters.
Continue mass deportations of criminal illegal aliens and preserve ICE's tools for deportation enforcement.
Occurrences
We should not back down at all ... and the deportations will continue.
Evidence
The Senate's official roll call shows Eric Schmitt voted Yea on S. 5, the Laken Riley Act, on January 20, 2025; the vote passed 64-35.
Congress.gov says S. 5 became Public Law No. 119-1 on January 29, 2025. The CRS summary says DHS must detain certain unlawfully present noncitizens charged with theft-related offenses and allows states to sue over failures to detain or remove people.
Schmitt's Senate bio says he has worked to secure the border and keep successful border policies in place.
The White House said the Secure America Act fully funds ICE and Border Patrol through President Trump’s term and provides resources to enforce immigration laws.
The Guardian reported that Trump signed a nearly $70 billion immigration enforcement package after House passage, with funding for ICE and border-patrol activities through September 2029.
The Senate roll call records S. 2 passing on June 5, 2026, 52-47; Schmitt is listed as voting Yea.
The Senate roll call records H.R. 1 passing on July 1, 2025; Schmitt is listed as voting Yea.
Public Law 119-21 appropriates $45 billion for ICE detention capacity and $29.85 billion for ICE enforcement, including hiring, transportation for removals, facility upgrades, 287(g) agreements, and removal proceedings staff.
The Laken Riley Act requires DHS to issue detainers and take custody of certain inadmissible aliens charged with, arrested for, convicted of, or admitting specified theft, assault, or serious-injury offenses.
Assessments
Schmitt, as a sitting U.S. senator, materially supported same-term federal legislation preserving and expanding ICE deportation-enforcement tools: he voted for the Laken Riley Act and H.R. 1/Public Law 119-21, which added detention/removal mechanisms and major ICE detention, staffing, transportation, 287(g), and enforcement funding. That satisfies a significant portion of the promise concerning ICE tools. However, the evidence does not show Schmitt personally delivered or controlled continued mass deportations of criminal illegal aliens; deportation operations are primarily executive-branch actions, and the record mainly shows legislative support and funding rather than completed mass deportation outcomes attributable to him. Full delivery is therefore not established.
As a federal legislator, Schmitt can receive credit for materially advancing enforcement policy he supported, but not full credit for carrying out 'mass deportations,' which are primarily executed by the executive branch. The record here shows he voted for and helped advance S. 5, later enacted as the Laken Riley Act in January 2025, which strengthened detention and removal-related enforcement and preserved or expanded ICE-adjacent tools. That is meaningful delivery on the 'preserve ICE's tools' portion of the promise during his current Senate term, but the evidence does not show that Schmitt himself delivered continued mass deportations of criminal undocumented immigrants. On federal timing and candidate credit, this supports partial rather than full fulfillment.