Fact check: How many families were separated under Obama versus Trump immigration policies?

1. Summary of the results

Based on the analyses provided, there is a stark contrast between the Obama and Trump administrations' family separation practices at the border:

Trump Administration:

• Implemented a "zero tolerance" policy that systematically separated families ^{[1] [2]}
• Separated at least 2,700 children from their parents at the border ^[3]
• During a specific period from April 19 to May 31, 2018, separated 1,995 children from 1,940 adults ^[2]
• As of 2024, 1,360 children have never been reunited with their parents six years after separation ^[4]

Obama Administration:

• Did not have a family separation policy or widespread practice of separating parents and children ^{[1] [2]}
• Had only a "minuscule" number of children removed from parents, and only in rare cases such as when a parent was arrested on drug charges ^[3]
• Former Obama administration officials explicitly stated they did not separate children from their parents ^[2]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The question lacks several important contextual elements:

• Policy intent and implementation: The Obama administration focused enforcement on "threats to national security, public safety, and recent entrants," while the Trump administration considered "all undocumented immigrants as priorities for removal" ^[5]
• Systematic versus exceptional practice: The Trump administration's separations were the result of a deliberate policy, whereas Obama-era separations occurred only in exceptional circumstances involving criminal activity ^[3]
• Long-term consequences: The analyses reveal that US efforts to help separated families have not adequately reckoned with the severe harm inflicted on them, with lasting psychological and social impacts ^[4]
• Misrepresentation of historical images: Photos of children in holding cells from 2014 during the Obama era were later misrepresented as showing the effects of Trump's immigration policy ^[1]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question, while appearing neutral, could inadvertently promote false equivalency between the two administrations' practices. The analyses clearly show:

• Trump administration officials falsely asserted that family separation was also practiced by Obama ^[1]
• A specific false claim that Obama separated 89,000 children while Trump separated only 1,900 was debunked, with the actual numbers showing Trump separated significantly more families ^[3]
• The framing of the question as a numerical comparison might obscure the fundamental difference: Obama had no systematic family separation policy, while Trump implemented deliberate family separation as official policy ^{[1] [2]}

The question's neutral tone could benefit those seeking to minimize the unprecedented nature of Trump's zero-tolerance policy by suggesting both administrations engaged in similar practices, when the evidence shows they did not.