Keep Factually independent
Whether you agree or disagree with our analysis, these conversations matter for democracy. We don't take money from political groups - even a $5 donation helps us keep it that way.
Loading...Time left: ...
Loading...Goal: $500
Fact check: How did ICE's operational tactics change from Obama to Trump presidency?
Checked on June 13, 2025
1. Summary of the results
The operational tactics of ICE underwent significant changes between the Obama and Trump administrations, marked by several key differences:
- Under Obama, ICE maintained a hierarchical priority system focusing on national security threats and serious criminal offenders [1]
- Trump eliminated these priorities, adopting a broader approach targeting virtually any unauthorized immigrant [1]
- Encounters with U.S. citizens increased dramatically from 5,940 to 27,540 under Trump [1]
- A higher proportion of women were encountered and arrested during Trump's presidency [1]
2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints
Several important contextual elements were not addressed in the original question:
- Under Obama, 3.2 million total deportations occurred, with 75-83% happening without judicial review [2]
- Trump's administration specifically targeted Democratic-run cities for increased enforcement, aiming to raise daily arrests from 650 to 3,000 [3]
- The Obama administration explicitly avoided "collateral arrests," while Trump's executive order permitted broader arrests of undocumented immigrants not originally targeted [4]
3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement
The original question's neutral framing might obscure several important considerations:
- Former ICE director John Sandweg criticized Trump's approach as "chaotic and focused on quantity over quality" of deportations, arguing it undermined public safety by diverting resources from targeting serious criminals [5]
- The changes had broader societal implications, including increased community fear, reduced civic engagement, and potential challenges to democratic norms [1]
- While Trump's approach appeared similar to Obama's on the surface, it was significantly more aggressive in practice [2]
Those benefiting from these different approaches included:
- Law enforcement agencies under Trump (expanded authority and resources)
- Political actors in both parties (using immigration enforcement as a campaign issue)
- Private detention facilities (increased detention rates under Trump's broader enforcement approach)
Want to dive deeper?
What were the key differences in deportation numbers between Obama and Trump administrations?
How did ICE workplace raid policies change from Obama to Trump presidency?
What role did sanctuary cities play in ICE operations under Obama versus Trump?
How did family separation policies at the border differ between Obama and Trump?
What changes occurred in ICE detention facilities and conditions from Obama to Trump era?