Fact check: How many illegal immagrants entered the us during joe bidens presidency

1. Summary of the results

Based on the available analyses, there are varying figures for the number of encounters and entries during Joe Biden's presidency, with significant differences in how these numbers are measured and interpreted:

• Over 8 million migrant encounters have occurred under President Biden's watch according to House Budget Republicans ^[1]
• The BBC reports more than 10 million encounters at the US southern border since January 2021, with approximately 8 million coming over the southwest land border with Mexico ^[2]
• Another BBC source indicates that more than 6.4 million migrants have been stopped crossing into the US illegally during Biden's administration ^[3]
• The Homeland Majority report claims well over 10.3 million inadmissible aliens have entered the United States since January 20, 2021, representing an increase of more than 200 percent from the previous administration, with over 7 million inadmissible aliens released or allowed into the interior ^[4]

Critical distinction: The BBC analysis emphasizes that encounters are not a count of individuals who stay in the US, as some migrants are returned and the same person can be recorded trying to enter multiple times ^[2].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question lacks several important contextual elements:

• Definitional clarity: The term "illegal immigrants" conflates different categories - encounters, apprehensions, releases, and actual permanent entries are distinct measurements with different implications
• Comparison baseline: The question doesn't establish what constitutes normal or abnormal immigration levels, though one source notes the 200 percent increase from the previous administration ^[4]
• Policy context: Missing discussion of how Biden administration policies may have influenced these numbers compared to previous administrations
• Return/deportation rates: The analyses don't provide comprehensive data on how many encountered individuals were actually removed or returned

Political stakeholders who benefit from emphasizing higher numbers include:

• House Budget Republicans and immigration restrictionist organizations who use these figures to criticize Biden administration policies
• Homeland Majority and similar groups that frame immigration as a crisis requiring stricter enforcement

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question contains several problematic assumptions:

• Terminology bias: Using "illegal immigrants" rather than more precise terms like "unauthorized border crossers" or "inadmissible aliens" carries inherent political framing
• Oversimplification: The question assumes a single, definitive number exists when immigration statistics involve multiple categories and measurement methodologies
• Lack of context: Framing the question solely around Biden's presidency without acknowledging broader immigration trends, policy changes, or external factors (such as global migration pressures) that influence these numbers

The varying figures across sources (6.4 million to over 10.3 million) demonstrate how different methodologies and definitions can produce substantially different results, making any single answer potentially misleading without proper context about what is being measured and how.