FIRST ON FOX: A new analysis reveals that the number of illegal immigrant removals from the U.S. interior has significantly decreased during the Biden administration compared to the Trump administration, even as the government and certain media outlets claim that overall removal numbers are on the rise.
The analysis conducted by the National Immigration Center for Enforcement (NICE), a pro-enforcement organization, examined ICE data and compared deportations between the two administrations. The findings indicate that deportations of illegal immigrants by ICE have seen a notable decline under Biden, despite a substantial influx of migrants during his tenure.
Under the Trump administration, ICE recorded 935,346 removals of illegal immigrants, representing 31.1% of over 2 million encounters.
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Analysis by the National Immigration Center for Enforcement
During the Biden-Harris administration, there have been over 9.6 million encounters, which is a significantly higher figure. However, only 4.4% of those encounters, or 406,638, resulted in ICE removals.
The analysis utilized official ICE data showing that fiscal years 2018 and 2019 had over 250,000 ICE removals per year, dropping to 185,000 in fiscal 2020 and to just 59,011 in fiscal 2021 due to the COVID pandemic. The numbers then increased to 72,177 in fiscal 2022 and 142,580 in fiscal 2023.
This contrasts with, but does not directly oppose, claims from the administration and some media sources that have noted a considerable rise in overall removals since the expiration of Title 42.
“Biden currently deporting more individuals than Trump,” a recent Reuters headline announced.
“Trump claims he intends to deport millions. However, he might struggle to remove more individuals than Biden has,” a Politico article stated.
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Such reports and the administration itself underlined overall Department of Homeland Security (DHS) removals and returns, which include actions taken by Customs and Border Protection (CBP), allowing for migrants to be rapidly turned away at the border before being released. Both articles note that ICE deportations are down compared to the Trump era.
When CBP removals are counted, the figures increase significantly following the end of Title 42 in May of last year, which led to a surge in expulsions. According to Reuters analysis, Trump recorded 1.5 million deportations and returns, while Biden has managed over 1.1 million until February of this year.
ICE agents are depicted arresting an individual. (ICE ERO El Paso/X)
“A significant majority of Southwest border encounters over the last three fiscal years led to a removal, return, or expulsion. DHS removed or returned over 740,000 individuals in the year following the cessation of the Title 42 public health order, more than in any year since 2010,” stated DHS in a recent fact sheet. “This number included more removals from countries other than Mexico than ever before.”
Critics have highlighted that these figures emerge during a Biden era characterized by several years of unprecedented border encounters, far exceeding numbers seen during the Trump administration. With this ongoing situation, millions have been released into the U.S., leading to over 7 million illegal immigrants currently on the non-detained docket.
“Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are deliberately dismantling immigration enforcement. While they continue to manipulate data and mislead the American public, illegal aliens roam the country and commit serious crimes that could have been prevented,” stated Joe Edlow, a former official from the Trump administration who now serves on the NICE advisory board, in an interview with Fox News Digital. “The deportation numbers attributed to the Biden-Harris administration, as echoed by the media, mostly consist of returns, which means migrants voluntarily left at the border without undergoing a formal removal process.”
“This comparison clearly shows that President Trump was more effective in deporting illegal immigrants, with an emphasis on those with criminal backgrounds, an approach that is expected to be intensified and efficiently executed under his leadership. American communities will once more be safe, and our borders will be secure.”
President Biden walks along the U.S.-Mexico border fence in El Paso, Texas, on Jan. 8, 2023. (JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)
However, the overall increases in removals support a broader narrative by the Biden administration, which asserts that it has effectively addressed the ongoing border crisis. The administration has recently showcased statistics indicating a more than 55% reduction in encounters in recent weeks following an executive order that further restricted asylum requests in June.
“We are also fortifying our border. Border crossings are currently lower than when the last administration was in office,” Biden stated during a national address.
Various Democrats have claimed the border situation is under control, particularly highlighting Vice President Harris’ involvement in diplomatic discussions addressing the root causes.
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“Border crossings are down. One reason is that her role involved diplomacy, and she has done considerable work with other countries to help reduce the flow,” opined former White House communications director Jennifer Palmieri in an interview with Politico. “And the figures reflect a decrease.”
This narrative is being contested by conservatives, including Republican lawmakers. House Homeland Security Chair Mark Green expressed to Fox News Digital, “Despite attempts by various media outlets to absolve President Biden and border czar Kamala Harris of their abysmal immigration enforcement record, the facts speak for themselves.”
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“The data is indisputable. The Biden-Harris administration has effectively dismantled interior enforcement, making it nearly impossible for ICE agents to detain and deport illegal immigrants. A federal court has even determined that the guidance enacted by DHS during their administration is founded on the idea that officials should avoid enforcing the law,” he asserted. “Biden and Harris have conveyed a clear message to the world: If you cross into this country illegally, you will most likely be released, and are almost certainly allowed to stay, as documented by DHS’ own reports.”
