Fact check: Did obama deport good undocumented immigrants?

1. Summary of the results

The evidence shows that Obama's administration did not primarily target "good" undocumented immigrants for deportation. According to the data, 91 percent of people removed from inside the U.S. in fiscal year 2015 were previously convicted of a crime ^[1], indicating that the administration focused on deporting individuals with criminal records rather than law-abiding undocumented immigrants.

Multiple sources confirm that Obama prioritized deporting people convicted of serious crimes and recent arrivals ^[2], suggesting a targeted approach rather than indiscriminate deportations. However, the Obama administration was still criticized as the "deporter in chief" with over 2.8 million deportations during his presidency ^[3] and over 2 million people deported according to ACLU records ^[4].

The administration also implemented protective measures for certain groups, including the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and other executive actions on immigration ^[5], which provided relief to specific categories of undocumented immigrants.

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question lacks important nuance about deportation policy priorities and implementation. Several key contexts are missing:

• Economic impact analysis: Research found that deportations during the Obama era did not lead to more job opportunities or higher wages for U.S.-born workers, and may have even reduced job opportunities ^[6], contradicting arguments that deportations benefit American workers economically.
• Family separation concerns: The ACLU characterized Obama's deportation record as "horrifying" and emphasized that deportation is a traumatic experience that separates families and communities ^[4], highlighting the human cost even when targeting criminals.
• Legal and political battles: The administration faced legal challenges to executive actions on immigration, including Supreme Court cases ^[7], showing the complex legal environment surrounding these policies.
• Comparative context: While Obama deported large numbers, the shift in focus towards removing criminals and recent border crossers represented a change in enforcement priorities compared to previous administrations ^[8].

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The question contains an implicit assumption that may be misleading. The framing of "good undocumented immigrants" creates a binary categorization that doesn't reflect the complexity of immigration enforcement policy.

The question appears to assume that Obama did deport "good" immigrants, when the evidence suggests the opposite - that his administration specifically prioritized criminals over law-abiding undocumented immigrants ^{[1] [2]}. This framing could perpetuate misconceptions about the nature and targets of Obama-era deportation policies.

Additionally, the question lacks acknowledgment that immigration advocacy organizations and the ACLU were highly critical of Obama's deportation record ^[4], suggesting that even targeted enforcement had significant humanitarian consequences that transcend simple "good" versus "bad" categorizations.