Fact check: What were the deportation numbers for each of the past 6 US presidents?

1. Summary of the results

The analyses provided focus primarily on Trump and Biden administration deportation records, but do not provide comprehensive data for all six most recent US presidents as requested. Here's what the sources reveal:

Trump vs. Biden Comparison:

• Trump's daily removals averaged 661 from January 26 to March 8, which is 10.9 percentage points lower than Biden's daily average of 742 in FY 2024 ^[1]
• The Biden administration is on track to carry out as many removals and returns as the Trump administration did, with 1.1 million deportations since the beginning of FY 2021 through February 2024 ^[2]

Biden Administration Specifics:

• The Biden administration has carried out the most administrative returns in at least 15 years, with more than 505,000 from FY 2021 through February 2024 ^[2]
• In FY 2023, there were 289,000 enforcement returns, the most since FY 2010 ^[2]
• Most deportations under Biden have been returns rather than formal removals, which are easier and cheaper to execute ^[2]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The analyses reveal significant gaps in addressing the original question:

Missing Presidential Data:

The sources completely omit deportation numbers for Obama, George W. Bush, Clinton, and George H.W. Bush - four of the six most recent presidents. This represents a substantial information gap that prevents a complete answer to the question.

Methodological Distinctions:

The sources highlight that returns are easier and cheaper to carry out than removals from the U.S. interior ^[2], suggesting that raw deportation numbers may not tell the complete story without understanding the methods used by different administrations.

Policy Context:

The Biden administration has reached agreements with Mexico to take back Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans whom U.S. authorities had difficulty deporting, indicating that diplomatic relationships significantly impact deportation capabilities ^[2].

Public Opinion Context:

A majority of Americans (54%) say ICE's actions have 'gone too far', while 80% support deporting immigrants convicted of violent crimes but support varies significantly based on circumstances ^[3].

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question itself does not contain misinformation, as it simply requests factual deportation data. However, the available analyses demonstrate potential bias through selective data presentation:

Incomplete Historical Context:

The sources focus heavily on recent Trump-Biden comparisons while ignoring longer-term historical trends that would provide essential context for understanding deportation patterns across multiple administrations.

Methodological Bias:

The emphasis on daily averages and specific time periods ^[1] rather than complete presidential terms could create misleading impressions about overall deportation records.

Political Framing:

The sources appear to frame deportations primarily through a contemporary political lens rather than providing comprehensive historical data, which could benefit political actors seeking to emphasize recent performance over longer-term policy trends.

Data Limitation Bias:

The focus on "at least 15 years" of data ^[2] suggests that longer historical comparisons may reveal different patterns that are not being presented, potentially benefiting those who prefer shorter-term comparisons.