Mainstream media outlets and Democrat politicians have been pushing a narrative about Biden’s supposedly record-breaking deportation numbers, citing ICE data showing over 271,000 deportations in FY2024, marking the highest tally in a decade.
However, these figures include people turned around at the border rather than actual interior deportations, fundamentally misrepresenting what constitutes real immigration enforcement.
During Biden’s tenure from January 2021 to January 2024, CBP reported over 7.2 million migrant encounters at the U.S.-Mexico border, plus an estimated 1.5 million “gotaways” who entered the country undetected.
This means the total number of illegal immigrants increased dramatically under Biden, even as his administration falsely claimed to have secured the border.
The net result was potentially 6-8 million people who effectively entered and remained in the U.S. illegally during Biden’s term.
This represents the ultimate revolving door: while ICE processed formal removals, the border itself became a highway for illegal immigration with catch-and-release policies dominating actual practice.
President Trump’s immigration enforcement strategy, including the deployment of the military to the border, has already delivered deterrence.
In May 2025, approximately 10,000 migrants were intercepted, a 20% increase from April’s 8,300, but still a staggering 91% decrease compared to May 2024 under Biden.
Trump’s first full month back in office saw Border Patrol record about 8,450 apprehensions, marking the lowest monthly total since at least fiscal year 2000. In this case, a lower number is good, because it means that fewer people even made the attempt to enter illegally.
In Trump’s first 100 days, the administration reported deporting over 135,000 individuals, with independent analyses confirming approximately 72,000 formal removals. This represents a fundamentally different approach.
Biden’s catch-and-release strategy incentivized people not only to try to enter, but to return after being turned away or even to return after having been deported from the interior of the country, multiple times.
Immigration enforcement effectiveness isn’t measured by how many people you process or how many you turn away, but rather, whether you’re actually reducing the illegal population.
Under Trump, the number of illegals is declining, and reports suggest that word has spread throughout Latin America that the U.S. is no longer an open target.
Liberals are angry that ICE is targeting individuals at courthouses. However, if they are at the courthouse applying for an extension or in the process of trying to get a new visa, this does not count as having a valid and current visa or residency permit.
So, they can be deported. And since illegals are often hard to locate, staking out the courthouse makes sense.
The same is true with job sites. ICE has been made aware of employers who hire illegal aliens and they are raiding job sites. Liberals complain that these are hardworking people who just want to make a living.
However, they are working illegally and both the workers and the employers must be held accountable. Furthermore, if they are working illegally then the wages will be submarket and there will be no taxes and no Social Security paid.
Ironically, the liberals demand a higher statutory minimum wage but then encourage the very illegal immigration and illegal work that suppresses wages. They complain that they don’t want Social Security benefits cut and most Americans agree with that statement.
So this means that we need more people paying into the system, which will be the result of having only legal workers.
Keep in mind that the FICA that you see subtracted from your pay slip is only half of the money that is paid into the system.
The employer has to match that amount, so replacing illegal workers with legal workers drives up wages and dramatically increases the amount being paid into Social Security.
Democratic lawmakers and their media allies created what immigration analysts call “processing theater.” They could claim deportation records while Biden presided over the largest illegal immigration surge in American history.
Real immigration enforcement, the way Trump is doing it, also means fewer people needing deportation because fewer people successfully enter illegally.
And ultimately, it will mean a decrease in the number of illegals in the country…until the Democrats take back the White House.
The post By the Numbers: Why Biden’s Deportation Record Doesn’t Beat Trump’s appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.