Fact check: What was the total number of deportations in 2023 under the Biden administration for comparison?

1. Summary of the results

Based on the available analyses, the total number of deportations in 2023 under the Biden administration was 142,580 removals, plus 62,545 Title 42 expulsions, resulting in over 205,125 individuals removed or expelled from the United States ^[1]. This figure comes directly from the ICE annual report for fiscal year 2023.

The analyses reveal that the Biden administration has been conducting deportations at a significant scale, with 1.1 million deportations from fiscal year 2021 through February 2024 ^[2]. The data shows that the Biden administration is on track to carry out as many removals and returns as the Trump administration did, potentially matching the 1.5 million deportations carried out during Trump's four-year term ^[3].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several important contextual factors are missing from the original question:

• The lifting of Title 42 significantly impacted deportation numbers in 2023. The analyses indicate that removals and expulsions increased due to increased capacity and agreements to conduct removals and returns, particularly after the Title 42 public health emergency ended on May 12, 2023 ^[1].
• The distinction between different types of removals matters. In fiscal year 2023, more migrants were returned directly across the border than were removed from the U.S. interior ^[2], suggesting different enforcement priorities and methods compared to previous administrations.
• Recent comparative data shows fluctuations in deportation rates. ICE deported around 11,000 migrants in February 2025, which was actually lower than the approximately 12,000 deported in February 2024 under Biden ^[3].
• The unauthorized immigrant population context is crucial. The unauthorized immigrant population reached a record 14 million in 2023 ^{[4] [5]}, providing important context for understanding deportation numbers relative to the overall population subject to removal.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question itself does not contain misinformation, as it simply asks for factual data. However, the framing "for comparison" suggests the questioner may be seeking to make political comparisons without providing the full context of:

• Policy differences between administrations in terms of enforcement priorities and methods
• External factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic and Title 42 policies that significantly affected deportation practices
• The distinction between different types of removals (interior removals vs. border returns) that can skew simple numerical comparisons

The question's neutral phrasing avoids obvious bias, but the comparative framing could potentially be used to support various political narratives depending on how the data is subsequently presented or contextualized.