Recent deportation raids under President Donald Trump have sparked controversy, yet deportation has long been a central aspect of U.S. immigration policy, spanning multiple administrations. While Trump’s actions have drawn widespread criticism, a look at history shows that his predecessors carried out deportation efforts on a similar, or even larger, scale.
Trump’s rhetoric against illegal immigration was the cornerstone of this campaign but actions by past presidents mirror Trump’s goal.
Under President Bill Clinton, who served from 1993 to 2001, 870,000 people were deported. President George W. Bush, who followed Clinton, oversaw the deportation of about 2 million people between 2001 and 2008. However, it was under President Barack Obama that deportations reached a record high, with approximately 3.2 million undocumented immigrants removed between 2009 and 2016.
During his 1995 State of the Union address, President Bill Clinton addressed the issue of illegal immigration, saying, “All Americans, not only in the States most heavily affected but in every place in this country, are rightly disturbed by the large numbers of illegal aliens entering our country.” He continued, “The jobs they hold might otherwise be held by citizens or legal immigrants. The public service they use imposes burdens on our taxpayers. That’s why our administration has moved aggressively to secure our borders more by hiring a record number of new border guards, deporting twice as many criminal aliens as ever before, cracking down on illegal hiring, by barring welfare benefits to illegal aliens.”
While many perceive President Trump’s presidency as synonymous with stringent immigration enforcement, the numbers tell a different story. Deportations during Trump’s first term were significantly lower than during Obama’s presidency. Over three years, Trump deported roughly 800,000 people, compared to Obama’s 1.18 million deportations in his first three years. By the end of Trump’s first term, total deportations stood at just under 1 million, a far cry from Obama’s overall numbers.
Under Trump, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) conducted high-profile workplace raids and issued removal orders to families. Despite these efforts, a decrease in illegal border crossings contributed to a decline in deportation figures.
Trump’s campaign for the 2024 presidential election placed mass deportations at the forefront of his platform. Following his victory, he stated there would be “no price tag” to carry out these plans, doubling down on his pledge to crack down on illegal immigration.
Trump’s enforcement policies echo actions taken under previous administrations. In 2002, President George W. Bush signed the Homeland Security Act, which established the Department of Homeland Security and intensified immigration enforcement through agencies like the Bureau of Border Security. During Obama’s presidency, immigration enforcement funding reached $18 billion in 2012, allowing for significant increases in deportations, particularly of individuals with criminal records. At the same time, Obama introduced the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in 2012, offering temporary protection to young undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children.
On January 28, 2013, a bipartisan group of eight U.S. Senators, known as the “Gang of Eight,” unveiled a set of principles for comprehensive immigration reform (CIR). This group included Democrats Charles Schumer, Dick Durbin, Bob Menendez, and Michael Bennet, as well as Republicans John McCain, Lindsey Graham, Marco Rubio, and Jeff Flake. Their proposal focused on several key policies, including a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants contingent on border security improvements, reforms to reduce visa backlogs, and fast-tracked permanent residency for U.S. university graduates in STEM fields. The plan also called for an expanded employment verification system and improved work visa options for low-skill and agricultural workers.
On April 16, 2013, the “Gang of Eight” introduced S.744, the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act, to the Senate. This landmark bill was the product of bipartisan collaboration among lawmakers, business groups, labor unions, and immigration advocates, offering a path to citizenship for 11 million undocumented immigrants, increased visa numbers for skilled workers, and a temporary worker program. On June 27, 2013, the Senate approved the bill in a historic 68-to-32 vote. However, despite its passage in the Senate, the bill was never brought to a vote in the House of Representatives and ultimately stalled at the end of the 113th Congress.
President Joe Biden’s administration has also taken a hard-line approach, despite his criticism of Trump’s policies. In the first 26 months of Biden’s presidency, DHS documented over 5 million arrests, far surpassing Trump’s figures. Deportation rates under Biden have also been significantly higher, with his administration deporting individuals at 3.5 times the monthly rate of Trump’s presidency.
The Biden administration has faced scrutiny for its deportation of Venezuelan refugees to Colombia, a policy some critics compare to Trump’s approach. Biden’s decisions have highlighted inconsistencies in refugee assistance, with many arrivals denied temporary protected status.
Immigration enforcement across administrations has not been without controversy. Critics have pointed to flaws in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) practices, particularly age verification methods for detained minors. ICE has been criticized for using dental radiographs to determine age, a method experts argue is unreliable. Misclassifications have led to minors being placed in adult detention facilities and vice versa.