Fact check: How many migrants have been deported during Biden's presidency?

1. Summary of the results

Based on the analyses provided, the Biden administration has carried out approximately 1.1 million deportations from the beginning of fiscal year 2021 through February 2024 ^[1]. However, this figure represents only formal deportations and does not capture the full scope of migrant removals under Biden's presidency.

The total number of repatriations under the Biden administration reaches nearly 4.4 million, which includes deportations, expulsions under the pandemic-era Title 42 order (approximately 3 million), and other actions to block migrants without permission to enter the United States ^[1].

Regarding deportation rates, Biden's administration has maintained higher daily removal averages than the current Trump administration, with Biden averaging 742 daily removals compared to Trump's 661 removals per day from January 26 to March 8 ^[2]. Additionally, ICE deported around 12,000 migrants in February 2024 under Biden, compared to approximately 11,000 in February 2025 under Trump ^[3].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question lacks several critical contextual elements that significantly impact the interpretation of deportation numbers:

• The distinction between different types of removals: The analyses reveal that formal deportations (1.1 million) represent only a portion of total migrant removals, with Title 42 expulsions accounting for approximately 3 million additional removals ^[1].
• Comparative historical context: The data shows that Biden's deportation rates actually exceed those of the subsequent Trump administration, contradicting common political narratives about enforcement levels ^[2].
• Impact on vulnerable populations: The analyses indicate that tens of thousands of children have been ordered deported, with 44% of unaccompanied children and 51% of families on the Dedicated Docket lacking legal representation ^[4]. This reveals the human cost often omitted from deportation statistics.
• Composition of deportees: Nearly half of those deported did not have criminal convictions or pending criminal charges ^[3], providing important context about who is being removed.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question, while factually neutral, could inadvertently promote misleading interpretations:

• Oversimplification of complex data: By asking only for deportation numbers without context, the question may encourage cherry-picking statistics that support predetermined political narratives about immigration enforcement effectiveness.
• Missing timeframe specificity: The question doesn't specify whether it seeks data through Biden's entire presidency or specific periods, which could lead to incomplete or misleading answers.
• Omission of policy context: The question ignores the significant impact of Title 42 expulsions, which accounted for approximately 3 million removals ^[1], potentially understating the actual scope of migrant removals under Biden's administration.

Political actors from both parties could benefit from selective use of these statistics - immigration hawks might emphasize the 4.4 million total repatriations to argue for continued strict enforcement, while immigration advocates might focus on the 1.1 million formal deportations to argue the numbers are more modest than claimed.