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How many illegal immigrants were deported under Biden
Executive summary
Available reporting and government data show the number of deportations (officially “removals”) fluctuated across the Biden years, with DHS/ICE figures placing removals and faster border “returns” in the hundreds of thousands per year; for example, one dataset cited 271,484 ICE removals in FY2024 and 447,600 returns that same year [1] [2]. Different outlets and trackers use different definitions — “removals,” “returns,” “expulsions,” or “voluntary returns” — which produces widely varying totals and frequent dispute over whether Biden deported more or fewer people than other presidents [3] [2] [4].
1. What official numbers actually count as “deportations”
The Department of Homeland Security and ICE distinguish removals (formal deportations ordered by immigration authorities) from returns/expulsions (faster expulsions at the border such as Title 42 or CBP rapid returns); many public debates conflate these categories, which inflates headline totals when returns are added to removals [2] [5]. For FY2024, one cited compilation lists almost 330,000 removals and about 447,600 returns, making the combined figure far larger than removals alone [2].
2. What reported tallies say about Biden-era totals
Analysts and media noted that deportations rose during parts of the Biden presidency. One third‑party site claimed Biden-era removals reached 271,484 in FY2024 and that removals “steadily increased” during his term [1]. Other reporting and trackers argue Biden oversaw millions of repatriations when you count expulsions and voluntary returns — Turkish Anadolu Agency cited “nearly 4.4 million repatriations” across different mechanisms in early reporting [4]. Those larger totals rest largely on including returns and expulsions, not only formal ICE removals [4] [2].
3. Why numbers are disputed and can’t be reduced to one figure
Observers disagree because datasets come from different agencies, periods and counting rules. Some trackers rely on ICE removals only; others combine Border Patrol/CBP returns, Title 42 expulsions and “voluntary returns.” Those choices produce very different answers; for instance, DHS/ICE statistics used by reporting showed a monthly average of 57,000 removals and returns in Biden’s last full year — a figure that mixes categories and therefore cannot be equated to formal deportation orders alone [6] [2]. Migration Policy Institute and other analysts emphasize the administration’s focus on recent border arrivals and targeted removals, complicating comparisons with prior administrations [3].
4. How journalists and researchers try to compare presidents
Comparisons across administrations require aligning fiscal years and counting methods. Independent analysts and news organizations have pointed out that FY counts overlap transitions (FY2025 began in October 2024 while Biden was still president), so cumulative numbers must be carefully apportioned when comparing Trump vs. Biden totals [7] [8]. Some watchdogs and trackers have produced side‑by‑side charts showing removals per fiscal year; others caution that mixing returns and removals yields misleading portrayals of an administration’s enforcement posture [7] [2].
5. Examples of concrete figures reporters cite
Examples in the record include: a report noting 271,484 ICE removals in FY2024 [1]; DHS/ICE aggregate counts indicating roughly 330,000 removals plus about 447,600 returns in FY2024 in one analysis cited by Axios [2]; and news stories using combined “removals and returns” to say a monthly average reached about 57,000 in Biden’s last full year [6] [2]. Other outlets report multi‑million totals for “repatriations” when voluntary returns and expulsions are added [4].
6. How to interpret political claims and what to watch for
Political claims often select the dataset that best supports the speaker’s narrative: opponents cite combined totals to paint an image of mass deportation, while defenders stress narrower removal figures and targeted enforcement [2] [3]. Fact‑checking and research groups urge scrutiny of definitions and time frames — ask whether a figure represents ICE removals only, CBP returns, Title 42 expulsions, or a sum of those categories [8] [2].
7. Limitations and what sources don’t say
Available sources in this set do not provide a single definitive, administration‑wide total labeled “illegal immigrants deported under Biden” that isolates only formal deportation orders across his full term without mixing returns or overlapping fiscal years; different reports present alternative totals depending on inclusion rules [1] [2]. For a definitive number you should consult DHS/ICE annual yearbooks and the underlying monthly tables and then specify whether you want removals, returns, expulsions, or all combined [5] [3].
Bottom line: the answer depends on definitions. If you mean ICE “removals” alone, reporting puts Biden‑era removals in the hundreds of thousands per year (for example, ~271,484 in FY2024 as one cited figure) [1]. If you include returns and expulsions, totals rise into the mid‑hundreds of thousands or millions across multi‑year spans — but those larger totals conflate distinct processes and are the subject of ongoing debate [2] [4].