Fact check: How many children were deported while Biden was president

1. Summary of the results

The analyses reveal a complex picture regarding child deportations during the Biden presidency. Over 13,000 unaccompanied children were removed in absentia between Fiscal Years 2022 and 2023 ^[1]. Additionally, tens of thousands of children have been ordered deported under the Biden administration, with most lacking legal representation or a fair day in court ^[1].

The data shows that in a five-month period in FY 2022, almost one third of immigration court cases initiated by the Biden administration were against children, with over 30,000 of them being under the age of 5 ^[1]. Furthermore, more than 43,000 children failed to appear in immigration proceedings ^[2].

A significant administrative failure emerged from Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General reports, which found that the Biden-Harris administration lost track of hundreds of thousands of migrant children and failed to provide complete sponsor addresses for over 31,000 unaccompanied migrant children ^[2]. This has hindered law enforcement's ability to track them ^[2].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question lacks crucial context about the systemic challenges in immigration enforcement. A top Biden administration official admitted that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) does not request criminal records of migrant teens in its care from their home countries ^[3], revealing significant gaps in the vetting process.

The analyses indicate that Trump's claims about the Biden administration losing track of over 300,000 migrant children are misleading and misrepresent government data ^[4]. This suggests that political figures benefit from framing immigration data in ways that support their narratives.

Senator Chuck Grassley appears to benefit politically from highlighting these administrative failures, as his oversight efforts are prominently featured in multiple reports ^[2]. Similarly, Trump benefits from using inflated or misleading statistics to criticize the Biden administration's immigration policies ^[4].

The missing context includes the distinction between children who were formally deported versus those who failed to appear for proceedings, and the difference between children who are "lost track of" administratively versus those who were actually removed from the country.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question appears neutral but may be seeking a simple numerical answer to a complex issue. The question doesn't distinguish between different types of removals or acknowledge the administrative challenges involved in tracking unaccompanied minors.

The sources reveal that experts say claims about lost children are misleading and misrepresent government data ^[4], suggesting that raw deportation numbers without context can be used to create misleading narratives. The focus on "deportations" specifically may obscure the broader issue of children failing to appear for court proceedings or being placed with inadequately vetted sponsors.

Political actors from both parties appear to benefit from different framings of this data - Republicans like Chuck Grassley and Trump benefit from highlighting administrative failures and large numbers, while the Biden administration would benefit from emphasizing the complexity of the immigration system and the misleading nature of some statistical claims.