Despite the left’s continued criticism of Donald Trump’s immigration policies and his strong rhetoric on illegal immigration, it turns out that former President Barack Obama still holds the record for deportations in modern American history.
According to a revealing report backed by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) data, Obama formally removed more than 3 million noncitizens from the United States during his two terms — more than any other president.
In comparison, George W. Bush deported about 870,000, Bill Clinton expelled around 2 million, and Donald Trump removed 1.2 million individuals during his first term. That means Obama deported more people than Bush and Trump combined.
And while critics often labeled Trump as the immigration hardliner, it was Obama who earned the nickname from immigrant advocates: “Deporter-in-Chief.”
One record-setting year under Obama stands out in particular: 438,421 deportations in 2013 — the highest annual number in American history.
No president since has come close to matching that figure, not even Trump, despite his promise to deliver “the largest deportation program in American history.”
