Fact check: Did Obama deport violent illegal immigrants or just anyone illegal?

1. Summary of the results

The evidence reveals that the Obama administration employed a mixed approach to deportations, targeting both violent criminals and non-violent unauthorized immigrants. The administration achieved record-breaking deportation numbers, removing over 2 million people during Obama's tenure ^[1], with 438,421 deportations in 2013 alone ^[2].

Criminal targeting was significant but not exclusive: In 2013, approximately 198,400 of the 438,421 deportees had criminal records ^[2], meaning about 60% of deportees were convicted of crimes ^[3]. The administration prioritized convicted criminal aliens and achieved the removal of over 195,000 convicted criminals in fiscal year 2010 ^[4]. By 2016, 90% of interior removals involved individuals convicted of serious crimes ^[5].

However, the data clearly shows that hundreds of thousands of non-criminal immigrants were also deported. The administration's enforcement evolved over time, focusing on removing noncitizens with criminal records and recent unauthorized border crossers ^[5].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question lacks crucial context about the evolution of Obama's deportation policies over time. The administration's approach became more targeted toward criminals in later years, with enforcement priorities shifting significantly ^[5].

Civil rights organizations like the ACLU strongly criticized the Obama administration's deportation record, characterizing it as "horrifying" and arguing that the administration failed to adequately distinguish between violent and non-violent immigrants ^[1]. Congressional Democrats also expressed fury over holiday-season raids targeting Central American immigrants, arguing these actions were unfair and indiscriminate ^[6].

Immigration enforcement advocates would benefit from emphasizing Obama's focus on criminal deportations to justify continued aggressive enforcement policies. Conversely, immigrant rights organizations and Democratic politicians benefit from highlighting the broader deportation numbers to criticize enforcement overreach and build support for more lenient policies.

The comparative effectiveness with other administrations is also missing context. The Obama administration's immigration enforcement was more effective than the Bush administration's, achieving a higher percentage of criminal alien removals ^[7]. Meanwhile, the Trump administration faced criticism for targeting non-violent immigrants and not adequately focusing on those who pose genuine public safety threats ^[8].

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question contains an implicit false dichotomy by suggesting Obama either deported "violent illegal immigrants" OR "just anyone illegal." The evidence demonstrates that both categories were targeted simultaneously, making this an oversimplified framing of a complex enforcement strategy.

The question also uses potentially loaded language with the term "illegal immigrants," which some view as dehumanizing, though this reflects common political discourse rather than intentional bias.

The framing omits the significant scale of Obama's deportation efforts - over 2 million people ^[1] - and fails to acknowledge that this earned Obama criticism from immigrant rights advocates who labeled him the "Deporter in Chief" ^[5]. This context is essential for understanding the full scope and controversy surrounding Obama's immigration enforcement policies.