Was there an increase in illegal immigration under the biden administration

1. Summary of the results

The analyses provided suggest that there has been an increase in illegal immigration under the Biden administration, with multiple sources citing a rise in migrant encounters and unauthorized immigrant populations ^{[1] [2] [3]}. According to ^[1], the U.S. unauthorized immigrant population reached a record 14 million in 2023, indicating an increase in illegal immigration under the Biden administration ^[1]. Similarly, ^[2] estimates that approximately 11.3 million unauthorized immigrants lived in the United States as of mid-2022, driven by diverse flows from various countries ^[2]. The data from ^[3] also indicates a significant rise in border encounters, with over 10.8 million encounters nationwide since FY2021, including more than 8.72 million at the Southwest border, further supporting the claim of an increase in illegal immigration under the Biden administration ^[3]. Additionally, ^[4] reports a significant increase in migrant encounters at the U.S.-Mexico border during the Biden administration, with 8.6 million encounters from January 2021 through October 2024, indicating an increase in illegal immigration ^[4]. However, other sources suggest that the Biden administration has taken steps to address the issue, including carrying out nearly 4.4 million repatriations and ramping up deportations under the standard U.S. immigration framework, Title 8 ^[5]. The overall trend suggests an increase in illegal immigration, but with efforts by the Biden administration to address the issue.

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Some sources provide alternative viewpoints, such as ^[6], which notes that Americans' attitudes towards immigration have shifted, with a decrease in the percentage of Americans who want immigration decreased, from 55% in 2024 to 30% in 2025, indicating a potential decrease in concern about illegal immigration ^[6]. Additionally, ^[7] reports that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Securing the Border Rule, implemented in June 2024, has led to a decrease in migrant encounters at the southern border, with a 55% reduction in encounters, suggesting a potential decrease in illegal immigration ^[7]. These alternative viewpoints highlight the complexity of the issue and the need for a nuanced understanding. Furthermore, ^[8] notes that the Trump administration has been detaining a higher percentage of aliens with criminal convictions, with 41.4% of those removed having criminal convictions, compared to 36.2% under the Biden administration, which may indicate different priorities in immigration enforcement ^[8]. The different approaches to immigration enforcement by the Biden and Trump administrations may have significant implications for the issue of illegal immigration.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original statement asks if there was an increase in illegal immigration under the Biden administration, which may be too simplistic a question given the complexity of the issue. Some sources, such as ^[1], ^[2], and ^[3], may be cited to support the claim of an increase in illegal immigration, but they may be interpreted as having a bias towards highlighting the increase in migrant encounters and unauthorized immigrant populations ^{[1] [2] [3]}. On the other hand, sources like ^[6] and ^[7] may be seen as having a bias towards downplaying the issue of illegal immigration, or highlighting the efforts of the Biden administration to address it ^{[6] [7]}. The Biden administration may benefit from a narrative that emphasizes its efforts to address the issue of illegal immigration, while the Trump administration may benefit from a narrative that highlights the increase in illegal immigration under the Biden administration. Ultimately, a nuanced understanding of the issue requires considering multiple sources and perspectives ^{[1] [2] [3] [4] [6] [7] [5] [9] [8]}.