Fact check: What are the deportation numbers under each US President since 2004?

1. Summary of the results

Based on the available data, deportation numbers under US Presidents since 2004 show significant variation across administrations:

George W. Bush (2004-2008):

• Steady increase from 240,665 deportations in 2004 to 359,795 in 2008
• Total: approximately 1.45 million deportations over 5 years

Barack Obama (2009-2016):

• Peak deportation years, reaching a high of 432,228 in 2013
• Significant decline in later years, dropping to 325,328 in 2015
• Total: approximately 3.06 million deportations over 8 years

Donald Trump (2017-2019):

• Lower numbers than Obama's peak years: 287,093 ^[1], 328,716 ^[2], 359,885 ^[3]
• The Biden administration is reportedly on track to match the 1.5 million deportations carried out during the four years of the Trump administration ^[4]

Joe Biden (2021-present):

• Biden's deportations averaged 750 per day in 2024, compared to Trump's average of 600 per day ^[5]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question lacks several important contextual elements that affect how deportation numbers should be interpreted:

• Definitional differences: The analyses suggest that deportation statistics may be calculated differently across administrations, but the sources don't provide comprehensive breakdowns for consistent comparison ^{[6] [7]}
• Policy context: Trump's aggressive deportation goals have been compared to the 1954 'Operation Wetback' ^[7], indicating that current deportation discussions are framed within historical precedents of mass deportation operations
• Public opinion influence: Americans' views on deportation policies vary significantly ^[8], suggesting that political pressure and public sentiment may influence how administrations report and prioritize deportation statistics
• Enforcement vs. removal distinction: The data may not distinguish between different types of removals, voluntary departures, and formal deportations, which could significantly affect the accuracy of cross-administration comparisons

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question appears neutral but may inadvertently promote misleading interpretations:

• Incomplete timeframe: By asking only for numbers "since 2004," the question may miss important historical context about deportation trends and policies that preceded this period
• Numbers without context: Raw deportation figures without considering factors like border crossing attempts, policy changes, legal processing backlogs, or resource allocation can be misleading when comparing presidential effectiveness
• Political framing: The question's focus on presidential comparison may encourage partisan interpretations rather than understanding the complex factors that influence deportation numbers, including ICE arrests, detention capacity, and legal processing times ^[9]

The available data shows that Obama had the highest total deportation numbers, while recent comparisons suggest Biden's daily deportation rate exceeds Trump's ^[5], contradicting common political narratives about which administration was "toughest" on immigration enforcement.