Discussions around President Trump's proposed immigration policies have sparked comparisons to prior administrations, particularly that of President Obama. While some Democrats express concern over Trump's plans, commentators have highlighted that Obama deported a substantial number of undocumented immigrants during his presidency, leading to the moniker "deporter-in-chief."

Data from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reveals that approximately 5.25 million removals and returns occurred under Obama's leadership. This figure surpasses the approximately 1.8 million removals and returns during Trump's first term. The comparison raises questions about the current resistance to Trump's proposals, given the historical precedent.

Under President Biden, deportations initially decreased but have since risen, exceeding any year since 2010 with 700,000 removals and returns in fiscal year 2024. This increase follows record-breaking numbers of border encounters during Biden's tenure, totaling over 7 million since he took office.

Jessica Vaughan, policy studies director at the Center for Immigration Studies, attributes the higher deportation figures under Obama to increased illegal immigration and robust interior enforcement, particularly during his first term. However, she also cautions against interpreting DHS data without considering policy changes, particularly how removals were categorized. She notes that the Obama administration began counting Border Patrol removals similarly to ICE interior removals, potentially inflating the overall numbers.

Vaughan points out a shift in the proportion of border versus interior removals between the Bush and Obama administrations. While two-thirds of removals under Bush originated from the interior, this reversed under Obama, with two-thirds stemming from border cases. This shift suggests underlying policy differences that raw numbers may obscure.

With an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants currently in the U.S., Trump and his immigration advisor, Tom Homan, have pledged to prioritize the removal of individuals deemed public safety risks, potentially employing measures like declaring a national emergency and utilizing military resources.