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Fact check: How many deportations did the Biden administration conduct in 2024?
1. Summary of the results
Based on the analyses provided, the Biden administration conducted 271,484 deportations in fiscal year 2024 [1] [2] [3] [4]. This figure represents deportations specifically carried out by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and marks the highest level of deportations in almost a decade [2].
However, when examining broader removal statistics, the Department of Homeland Security completed approximately 700,000 removals and returns in fiscal year 2024, which includes both deportations and voluntary returns, representing more than any prior fiscal year since 2010 [5]. The third quarter of fiscal year 2024 alone saw ICE remove nearly 68,000 individual noncitizens, reflecting a 69% increase over the same period in fiscal year 2023 [6].
Over Biden's entire term from FY 2021 to FY 2024, the administration carried out approximately 1.5 million deportations total [3] [4].
2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints
The original question lacks several important contextual elements that emerge from the analyses:
- Comparison to previous administrations: The 271,484 deportations in 2024 actually surpassed the number of deportations during the first Trump administration [2], contradicting common political narratives about enforcement levels.
- Different measurement categories: The analyses reveal a distinction between ICE deportations [7] [8] and total DHS removals and returns [9] [10], which includes voluntary departures and other forms of removal [5].
- Operational scale: ICE operated more than 860 international repatriation flights from June through December 2024 alone [5], indicating significant logistical operations.
- Broader immigration context: While deportations increased, the administration also released millions of inadmissible aliens into the country [11], showing the complexity of immigration enforcement policy.
3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement
The original question itself appears neutral and factual, simply requesting deportation numbers. However, the framing could potentially be used to support different political narratives:
- Pro-enforcement advocates would benefit from highlighting the 271,484 figure as evidence of strong border security measures, particularly since it represents a decade-high level [2].
- Immigration advocacy groups might emphasize the human impact of these deportations while noting that the administration simultaneously released millions of people into the country [11].
- Political opponents could use either the high deportation numbers to criticize humanitarian concerns or the simultaneous releases to argue enforcement was inadequate.
The question's timing and context matter significantly, as recent reporting shows that Trump deported fewer people in February 2025 than Biden did in February 2024 [12], which could influence how the 2024 numbers are interpreted politically.