US homicide rate falls to 126‑year low as deportations increase

The Department of Homeland Security reported that homicides in the United States during the first half of 2026 were down 18 % from the same period a year earlier, putting the rate at its lowest level in at least 126 years. A July 2026 study by the nonpartisan Council on Criminal Justice also showed sharp declines in other crimes: carjackings fell 47 %, motor‑vehicle thefts 20 %, robberies 17 % and residential burglaries 13 %.

Violent‑crime metrics showed modest drops, with aggravated assaults down 2 % and gun assaults down 6 % compared with the previous year, while domestic‑violence incidents rose 8 % and sexual assaults increased 3 %. DHS officials linked the overall crime decline to the removal of illegal immigrants with criminal histories, citing examples such as a Salvadoran convicted of homicide and assault, a Costa Rican convicted of burglary, a Honduran gang member convicted of robbery, and a Vietnamese national convicted of armed carjacking. Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said the trend “shows that removing criminals from the country makes America safer,” echoing President Donald Trump’s promise to “make America safe again.”