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Fact check: Can the Trump administration realistically deport all of the illegals allowed in under Biden's open border policy?

Checked on June 16, 2025

1. Summary of the results

Based on the analyses provided, the Trump administration has set ambitious deportation targets of 3,000 arrests per day, aiming to deport over 1 million people annually [1] [2]. The administration is prioritizing immigration enforcement and has already begun implementing sweeping ICE operations to achieve these goals [1]. The Supreme Court has cleared the way for what could be the largest deportation wave in modern U.S. history, with nearly 1 million migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela expected to be affected through the termination of humanitarian parole programs [3].

However, multiple sources indicate that deporting all unauthorized immigrants is mathematically unrealistic. The scale of the challenge requires deporting over 8,000 people every day for four years, which experts deem infeasible [4] [5] [6]. The current deportation infrastructure would need to increase by several magnitudes to address the full scope of unauthorized immigration [5].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original statement lacks several critical contextual elements:

  • Legal and procedural challenges: The administration's deportation policies are facing significant court challenges, particularly regarding deportations to third-party countries that are not the immigrants' countries of origin [7] [8]. These legal obstacles could substantially slow deportation efforts.
  • Implementation problems: The administration is prioritizing speed over due process, which has led to criminals potentially escaping prosecution and the creation of a two-tiered justice system [9]. This approach may undermine the effectiveness of the deportation program.
  • Logistical complexities: Sources reveal cases where individuals are being deported to incorrect countries, such as a man sent to South Sudan instead of Vietnam [8], highlighting significant operational challenges that could impede mass deportation efforts.
  • Resource constraints: The analyses suggest that achieving the stated goals would require unprecedented resources and infrastructure that may not be realistically available [4] [5].

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original statement contains several problematic characterizations:

  • "Open border policy": This framing presents a partisan characterization rather than a factual description of immigration policies. The analyses focus on specific programs like humanitarian parole rather than supporting claims of completely open borders.
  • "All of the illegals": This language is both dehumanizing and mathematically unrealistic based on the evidence provided. Sources consistently indicate that complete deportation is not feasible [4] [5] [6].
  • Oversimplification: The statement ignores the complex legal, logistical, and procedural challenges that make mass deportation extremely difficult to implement effectively, as demonstrated by ongoing court challenges and operational problems [9] [7] [8].

The framing benefits those who wish to present immigration enforcement as a simple binary choice while ignoring the practical realities and constitutional constraints that govern immigration policy implementation.

Want to dive deeper?
What is the estimated number of undocumented immigrants in the US as of 2025?
How does the Trump administration's deportation plan differ from Biden's immigration policy?
What are the legal and logistical challenges to deporting large numbers of undocumented immigrants?
Can the US Congress pass legislation to support or block Trump's deportation plans?
How do Trump's deportation plans affect US relations with countries like Mexico and Guatemala?