Fact check: What was the total number of deportations under the Biden administration?

1. Summary of the results

Based on the available analyses, no single source provides a definitive total number of deportations under the Biden administration. However, several key data points emerge:

The most comprehensive figure comes from one analysis stating that the Biden administration carried out approximately 1.5 million deportations (including removals and enforcement returns) from FY 2021 to FY 2024, with most originating from the border ^[1]. This figure equaled the Trump administration's deportation numbers during a comparable period.

For the final fiscal year under Biden, ICE deported more than 271,000 immigrants, representing the largest number in nearly a decade ^[2]. Additional context shows that during FY 2024, the daily average of removals was 742 ^[3], and the monthly average of removals and returns during Biden's last full year was 57,000 ^[4].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question lacks several important contextual elements:

• Comparison with previous administrations: The analyses reveal that Biden's deportation numbers actually matched or exceeded Trump's record, contradicting common political narratives that suggest Biden was "soft" on immigration enforcement ^{[2] [1]}.
• Types of deportations: The data includes both formal removals and enforcement returns, with most deportations originating from border encounters rather than interior enforcement ^[1]. This distinction is crucial for understanding immigration policy effectiveness.
• Recent comparative data: Ironically, Trump deported fewer people in his first month back in office (around 11,000 in February 2025) than Biden did in the same month the previous year (over 12,000) ^[5].
• Arrest vs. deportation rates: One analysis shows that despite high arrest numbers (185,042 people from Oct. 1 to May 31), ICE arrested only 6% of known immigrant murderers, suggesting enforcement priorities may not align with public safety rhetoric ^[6].

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question, while seemingly neutral, implicitly suggests that Biden administration deportation numbers were notably low or controversial. This framing benefits political actors who seek to portray the Biden administration as weak on immigration enforcement.

The question's focus on total numbers without context obscures the fact that Biden's deportation rates actually exceeded recent historical precedents ^[2]. This selective framing benefits:

• Republican politicians and conservative media outlets who can use incomplete data to criticize Biden's immigration policies
• Immigration advocacy groups who might use the same incomplete data to argue Biden was too harsh on deportations

The absence of comparative context in the question prevents a full understanding of immigration enforcement trends, allowing different political factions to selectively interpret the data to support their preferred narratives about border security and immigration policy effectiveness.