Fact check: How did deportation numbers compare between Obama and Trump administrations?

1. Summary of the results

The data consistently shows that the Obama administration carried out significantly more deportations than the Trump administration. Specifically:

• Obama's presidency (2009-2016) saw approximately 3.2 million formal deportations and a total of 5.24 million removals and voluntary returns ^[1]
• Obama's deportation numbers peaked in 2013 with 438,421 deportations in a single year ^[1]
• Trump's first term (2017-2021) saw approximately 1 million deportations, significantly fewer than Obama's numbers ^[1]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several important contextual factors need to be considered:

• Between 75-83% of deportations under Obama were "nonjudicial," meaning they bypassed immigration court ^[1]
• Under Trump, nonjudicial deportations decreased but still remained significant at 64% in 2019 ^[1]
• From 1990-2018, Democratic presidents were responsible for 60% of all deportations, averaging 246,006 annually ^[2]
• Obama's deportations were split between his terms:
• First term (2009-2012): 3.2 million deportations
• Second term (2013-2016): 2.1 million deportations ^[3]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The simple comparison of numbers between administrations could be misleading without considering:

• The distinction between formal deportations and voluntary returns, which affects total numbers ^[2]
• Obama earned the nickname "deporter-in-chief" despite being from a party traditionally seen as more lenient on immigration ^[1]
• Both administrations faced criticism for bypassing due process through nonjudicial deportations ^[1]
• While Trump's numbers were lower, his rhetoric and stated policies were more aggressive regarding deportations ^[1]

This complex issue benefits different political groups in different ways:

• Democrats can point to Trump's aggressive rhetoric while downplaying Obama's higher numbers
• Republicans can highlight Obama's record numbers while emphasizing Trump's stated commitment to stricter enforcement
• Immigration advocacy groups can criticize both administrations' use of nonjudicial deportations