This archive report was first published on 23 July 2019.
As the Trump administration grapples with a record number of migrant families at the southern border, a closer look at deportation numbers reveals a surprising trend: the Trump administration has deported fewer people, on average each year, than the Obama administration.
According to data, in fiscal year 2018, the Trump administration deported 256,086 immigrants, a 13 percent increase over the previous year. In contrast, President Barack Obama removed a record 409,849 people in 2012 and 235,413 in fiscal year 2015.
Even in the first two quarters of the 2019 fiscal year, the Trump administration deported 130,432 people, up from 123,253 during the same period the previous year.
Mr. Obama's approach to immigration focused on targeting convicted criminals, recent border crossers, and those who had entered the country multiple times. In contrast, Mr. Trump has taken a more aggressive stance, stating that anyone agents encounter who is living in the country illegally is fair game for detention and removal.
On Monday, the Trump administration announced plans to accelerate the deportation of undocumented immigrants who cannot prove they have been in the United States for more than two years, potentially affecting their ability to seek asylum in the country.
