President Donald Trump’s push to deport millions of illegal aliens will require Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to adopt logistical technology used by private sector giants like Amazon and FedEx, according to ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons.
Speaking at the Border Security Expo earlier this month, Lyons emphasized that ICE’s Air Operations are highly efficient, but the agency is still facing major bottlenecks. “What it’s going to take to meet the president’s goal is a lot of technology, almost like an Amazon or a FedEx model,” Lyons said. He noted that deportation logistics need to operate with the same precision as next-day delivery systems.
Lyons explained that ICE is actively coordinating with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the State Department through the National Incident Coordination Cell. The effort involves flight scheduling, securing travel documents, and managing land border removals. Still, the system faces strain due to a massive immigration court backlog and overburdened detention facilities.
Over 3.6 million immigration cases remain pending in the U.S. court system. Lyons said ICE is exploring Artificial Intelligence and data-driven tools to accelerate case processing and streamline deportation efforts. The goal is to conduct larger, faster removals while freeing up limited detention space.
“We’re just not turning our beds over enough,” Lyons said, noting the challenge of limited detention capacity amid increasing arrests.
In President Trump’s first 100 days in office, ICE deported more than 66,000 illegal aliens and arrested over 65,000, including nearly 2,300 gang members. Recent operations have ramped up, with nearly 800 arrests made in a joint effort with local law enforcement in Florida — the largest of its kind.
ICE’s modernization plans aim to support President Trump’s aggressive deportation policy, treating the mission with the logistical precision of a private enterprise to meet national security goals.
