Fact check: How did the Obama administration's deportation policies compare to those of previous presidents?

1. Summary of the results

The Obama administration's deportation policies have been compared to those of previous presidents in various analyses. According to ^[1], the Obama administration prioritized threats to national security, public safety, and recent illegal entrants, while the Trump administration considered all undocumented immigrants as priorities for removal ^[1]. Similarly, ^[2] notes that the Obama administration's enforcement priorities focused on national security threats, immigrants convicted of serious crimes, and recent border crossers ^[2]. The Department of Homeland Security reported that former President Barack Obama formally removed 3 million noncitizens from the U.S. over two terms, more than any other president in American history, with a focus on recent unauthorized border crossers and those who had committed crimes ^[3]. Other sources, such as ^[4], also highlight the Obama administration's focus on formal removals rather than returns, with a priority on removing noncitizens with criminal records and recent unauthorized border crossers ^[4]. Additionally, ^[5] reports that the number of deportations under the Obama administration fell to its lowest level since 2007, with 333,341 unauthorized immigrants deported in FY 2015 ^[5]. Key points to note are the Obama administration's prioritization of national security, public safety, and recent illegal entrants, as well as the significant number of deportations that occurred during his presidency.

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Some analyses provide additional context and alternative viewpoints on the Obama administration's deportation policies. For example, ^[6] notes that deportations of illegal immigrants were higher under President Obama than under George W. Bush ^[6]. Additionally, ^[7] reports that more immigrants were forcibly removed from the United States under Obama than any other president, with over 2.8 million undocumented immigrants deported during his eight years in office ^[7]. However, other sources, such as ^[8] and ^[9], do not provide direct comparisons of Obama's deportation policies to those of previous presidents ^{[8] [9]}. It is essential to consider these alternative viewpoints and additional context to gain a comprehensive understanding of the Obama administration's deportation policies. Some of the key missing context includes:

• The specific numbers of deportations under previous presidents, such as George W. Bush ^[6]
• The impact of the Obama administration's deportation policies on different groups, such as non-criminal and criminal immigrants ^[5]
• The role of other factors, such as the economy and border security, in shaping the Obama administration's deportation policies ^{[1] [2]}

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original statement asks how the Obama administration's deportation policies compared to those of previous presidents. While the analyses provide some insight into this question, there may be potential misinformation or bias in the original statement. For example, some sources, such as ^[1] and ^[2], suggest that the Obama administration's deportation policies were more focused on national security and public safety, while others, such as ^[5], report that the number of deportations under the Obama administration fell to its lowest level since 2007 ^[5]. It is crucial to consider the potential biases and motivations of the sources, as well as the specific context and timeframe being referred to. The beneficiaries of each viewpoint include:

• The Obama administration, which may benefit from the perception that its deportation policies were more focused on national security and public safety ^{[1] [2]}
• Critics of the Obama administration, who may argue that the administration's deportation policies were too lenient or ineffective ^{[5] [7]}
• Immigrant advocacy groups, who may benefit from the perception that the Obama administration's deportation policies were more humane or targeted ^{[1] [2]}