Scott Jennings touts Trump's aggressive immigration enforcement as 'biggest success' of 2025

Scott Jennings identifies immigration enforcement as Trump’s campaign promise fulfilled
Appearing on ‘This Week,’ CNN​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ political commentator Scott Jennings said Trump is fulfilling his 'biggest' promise with 2025 immigration results (Screengrab/RedWave Press/X)
Appearing on ‘This Week,’ CNN​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ political commentator Scott Jennings said Trump is fulfilling his 'biggest' promise with 2025 immigration results (Screengrab/RedWave Press/X)


WASHINGTON, DC: Political strategist Scott Jennings on Sunday, December 28, characterized President Donald Trump’s aggressive immigration enforcement as his most significant achievement of 2025. 

This assessment comes as the administration reports that more than 2.5 million undocumented individuals have left the country through a combination of forced removals and voluntary self-deportations.

Scott Jennings claims Trump had great success with immigration plans

Appearing on ‘This Week’ with guest host Jonathan Karl, Scott Jennings highlighted the scale of these efforts as a fulfillment of Trump’s campaign promise in 2025.

“I think on the immigration piece, it’s been his biggest success this year, it’s the biggest promise fulfilled,” Jennings said. 

He noted that the administration's approach has prompted a large number of people to leave the country, stating, “We’ve had 2.5 million people deported: a significant number of them were self-deported; you know they used the government’s CBP One app or just decided to leave the country altogether.” 

According to a December 10 release from the Department of Homeland Security, approximately 1.9 million of these departures were voluntary self-deportations, often facilitated by government-led incentives and digital tools.

Scott Jennings attends the 2025 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at Washington Hilton on April 26, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images)
Scott Jennings attends the 2025 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at Washington Hilton on April 26, 2025 in Washington, DC (Paul Morigi/Getty Images)

Scott Jennings says Trump is using laws that already exist

Jennings argued that the administration’s actions are not a matter of new legislation but laws that were ignored by the previous presidency. 

“When I talk to Republicans and Trump supporters around the country, they’re more than thrilled with the aggressive nature of it,” Jennings continued. 

“You know, we haven’t passed any new immigration laws since Donald Trump became the president again. We’re just enforcing the laws that we have, something the previous administration would not do. So, I know the left has treated this as some big controversy but I don’t know what’s controversial about the president just simply enforcing laws on the books.”

WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 23: U.S. President Donald Trump holds up a signed executive order in the Oval Office of the White House May 23, 2025 in Washington, DC. President Trump signed executive orders related to the nuclear power industry. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
President Donald Trump holds up a signed executive order in the Oval Office of the White House May 23, 2025 in Washington, DC (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Trump stopped illegal immigrants from getting social security services

It is to be noted that immediately upon taking office on January 20, 2025, President Trump signed multiple executive orders designed to dismantle the infrastructure of illegal immigration and organized crime.

These orders formally designated the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA), MS-13, and various Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, granting the government broader powers to target their operations. 

Meanwhile, the administration has touted its success in ending the 'catch and release' policies of the past, with a December 15 release stating that no illegal immigrants had been released into the US interior for seven straight months. 

GET BREAKING U.S. NEWS & POLITICAL UPDATES
STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

MORE STORIES

Brian Stelter said removing major news outlets from the regular press rotation could create practical problems for covering Trump
23 hours ago
The court filing comes amid a separate dispute over Jimmy Kimmel’s interview with Texas Senate candidate James Talarico
2 days ago
Joy Behar criticized Donald Trump Jr after he confirmed Russian businessman Umar Kremlev helped fund his wedding, calling it a 'generous gift'
4 days ago
Maria Bartiromo's future became a subject of speculation almost immediately after Fox News announced her departure on September 3
Sep 10, 2026
Kimmel said the FCC had threatened him, his show, and ABC over 'simple, traditional editorial decisions, guest bookings it would seem they don’t like'
Sep 10, 2026
Whoopi Goldberg invoked Barbara Walters’ original vision for the talk show, urging viewers to engage with guests despite political differences
Sep 10, 2026
Reflecting on the concerns he had a decade or more ago, Jimmy Kimmel said many of them now seem insignificant in hindsight
Sep 5, 2026
The timing of Maria Bartiromo's exit quickly prompted questions about a potential role in the Trump administration
Sep 3, 2026
Carlson questioned why no effort was already underway to remove Trump, saying anyone who tolerated such discussions would be 'by definition unfit'
Aug 30, 2026
Dolly Parton’s death drew tributes from Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Sabrina Carpenter, Trump, Barack Obama, and Bill Clinton
Aug 29, 2026