Fact check: How many illegal immigrants did obama deport or remove?

1. Summary of the results

Based on the analyses provided, Barack Obama's administration deported or removed more than 3.1 million people during his eight years in office ^[1]. Multiple sources confirm that Obama deported more people than any other president in American history ^{[2] [3]}, earning him the nickname "Deporter in Chief" ^[2].

The deportation numbers show significant variation across different years, with fiscal year 2012 representing the peak at over 407,000-410,000 removals ^{[1] [4]}. Other documented years include 316,000 ICE deportations in fiscal year 2014 ^[4]. One source specifically mentions over 2.5 million people removed through immigration orders between 2009 and 2015 ^[2].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question lacks crucial context about the Obama administration's deportation strategy and methodology. The administration focused on formal removals instead of returns, prioritizing recently arrived unauthorized immigrants and criminals rather than families ^{[5] [2]}. This represents a significant shift in enforcement priorities compared to previous administrations.

Critical procedural concerns are missing from the basic deportation numbers: 75% of people facing deportation did not see a judge before being expelled from the US ^[6]. The ACLU criticized the administration for prioritizing speed over fairness in the removal system, noting a lack of individualized due process and judicial review ^[6].

The Migration Policy Institute provides a more nuanced perspective, suggesting that Obama's deportation record is more complex than either criticism would imply ^[5], indicating that both supporters and critics may oversimplify the administration's approach.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question itself is factually neutral and does not contain apparent misinformation. However, it lacks important contextual framing that could lead to incomplete understanding. The question focuses solely on raw numbers without acknowledging:

• The shift in enforcement methodology from previous administrations
• The prioritization of certain categories of immigrants over others
• The procedural and due process concerns raised by civil rights organizations
• The distinction between different types of removals and their legal implications

Political actors across the spectrum benefit from emphasizing different aspects of these deportation statistics - immigration restrictionists can point to the high numbers as precedent for aggressive enforcement, while immigrant rights advocates can highlight the procedural concerns and family separations that occurred during this period.