Fact check: How many family separations occurred under Obama versus Trump administrations?

1. Summary of the results

The key distinction is that while both administrations had cases of family separation, the scale and intent were fundamentally different. The Trump administration implemented a systematic "zero tolerance" policy ^[1] that resulted in over 5,500 children being separated from their families ^[2]. Specifically, 2,342 children were separated just between May 5 and June 9, 2018 ^[1]. Under Obama, there is no clear data on exact numbers ^[1], as separations were not standard practice but occurred only in specific circumstances like suspected trafficking or drug possession ^{[1] [3]}.

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several important contextual elements need to be considered:

• The Obama administration did threaten potential child separation in legal arguments defending family detention ^[4], showing that the concept wasn't entirely absent from their policy considerations
• A false claim circulated that 89,000 children were separated under Obama, but this number actually referred to unaccompanied minors placed with sponsors, not forcibly separated families ^[5]
• Under Obama, DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson acknowledged that separations occurred in "exigent situations," but the administration generally tried to keep families together in detention facilities or release them together ^[1]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The question itself could be misleading as it suggests an equivalency between the two administrations' approaches, when in fact:

• Simply comparing numbers doesn't capture the fundamental policy difference: Trump's separations were a deliberate strategy ^[2], while Obama's were case-by-case exceptions
• Political groups benefiting from this narrative include:

Those seeking to defend Trump's immigration policies by suggesting continuity with previous administrations

Those criticizing Obama's immigration policies by attempting to draw parallels with Trump's more controversial approach

• Understanding Trump's policy requires examining the ongoing legal struggles over family detention during the Obama era ^[4], suggesting a more complex historical context than simple numerical comparisons