Ice Bombshell: Biden Surpasses Trump On Immigrant Deportations
The sharp increase in deportations last year can be attributed to a more streamlined process that allowed for faster removals
U.S. immigration authorities recorded a significant increase in deportations last year, reaching the highest numbers in nearly a decade.
A new report from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), released Thursday, revealed that more than 271,000 undocumented immigrants were removed from the country in the last fiscal year.
This figure surpassed the deportation levels seen during the first term of the Trump administration, marking a sharp rise in enforcement activity.
The surge in deportations coincides with the incoming administration of President-elect Trump, who has signaled that mass deportation will be a central focus of his presidency.
While President Joe Biden had pledged to pause deportations upon taking office, his administration ended up expanding deportation efforts, driven in part by a significant increase in border crossings.
Biden’s shift in policy has drawn criticism from immigration advocates who point to the expansion of enforcement as a departure from his earlier commitments.
According to the ICE report, the sharp increase in deportations last year can be attributed to a more streamlined process that allowed for faster removals. The report also highlighted the expansion of deportation flights to farther destinations, including countries in Africa and Asia, many of which had previously refused to accept deportees.
This expansion in deportation destinations is a notable change from previous years, when some countries had limited or blocked the return of their nationals.
The report further revealed that the majority of deportations in fiscal year 2024 were linked to border arrests rather than apprehensions made in the U.S. interior.
Roughly 82% of the 271,000 deportations involved individuals apprehended by border officials, emphasizing the growing role of border enforcement in the overall immigration removal strategy.
This marks a shift toward greater reliance on border-related deportations as the Biden administration navigates complex challenges at the southern border.