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

Jon Stewart celebrated Stephen Colbert's final week with luxury gifts, jokes, and a song by Andra Day
7 hours ago
Stephen Colbert said he cared about his country but didn’t believe his absence from TV would harm the national conversation or the republic
7 hours ago
Bill Maher accused Kamala Harris and the Clintons of only appearing where Democrats are 'pre-adored' by audiences
9 hours ago
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said billionaires do not truly 'earn' their wealth and rely on a 'myth' to justify it
10 hours ago
Anderson Cooper said balancing CNN and '60 Minutes' was difficult, with most of his weekends and vacations spent reporting stories
2 days ago
Online debate grows as Katie Miller’s podcast draws high-profile guests and scrutiny over ties between media work and Washington power circles
3 days ago
Megyn Kelly criticized Jack Schlossberg’s campaign conduct, questioning his experience and pointing to reported internal disorder
3 days ago
Bill Maher accused Democrats of tolerating anti-Israel rhetoric to avoid upsetting younger, TikTok-influenced voters
3 days ago
Bill Maher said he does not identify as Jewish, while Megyn Kelly has defended Israel but criticized Benjamin Netanyahu’s Gaza campaign
3 days ago
HBO host slammed President Donald Trump’s China visit as heavy on spectacle but light on substance
3 days ago