Fact check: How many children were deported under Obamas administration?

1. Summary of the results

The total number of deportations during Obama's administration was approximately 5 million, consisting of both formal removals and returns ^{[1] [2]}. More specifically:

• Formal removals: Between 3-3.2 million people ^{[2] [3]}
• Returns: Approximately 1.6-2 million people ^[4]
• First term (2009-2012): 3.2 million deportations ^[5]
• Second term (2013-2016): 2.1 million deportations ^[5]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several crucial contextual elements are missing from the original question:

• Procedural Changes: 75-83% of deportations under Obama were "nonjudicial" or "summary removals," meaning they bypassed immigration court proceedings ^{[2] [3]}
• Terminology Complexity: Direct comparisons with other administrations are complicated due to changes in how deportations were classified and counted ^[4]
• Comparative Context: Obama's administration deported more people than Trump's administration in each term ^[5]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question's simplicity could lead to misunderstandings:

• Statistical Manipulation: Obama himself acknowledged that the way border apprehensions were counted as deportations could be "deceptive" and potentially inflated the total numbers ^[6]
• Classification Changes: The distinction between "removals" and "returns" is crucial for understanding the full picture, as these represent different types of enforcement actions ^[4]
• Political Context: These numbers are often used in political debates, with various stakeholders benefiting from either emphasizing or minimizing these figures. Immigration advocacy groups use these statistics to criticize enforcement policies, while enforcement advocates use them to demonstrate commitment to border security.