Biden’s Immigration Crackdown Pushes Deportations Beyond Trump-Era Levels

According to the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE)  yearly enforcement report, the US has deported 271,000 people to 192 countries during fiscal year 2024 which ended on September 30. The total number exceeded all previous years under President Donald Trump’s 2017-2021 term and was the biggest since Biden took office in 2021 as per the US government figures. 

The president elect Trump who promises to make mass deportations a key component of his future administration was just weeks away from taking office when the ICE report was released. In 2021 President Joe Biden promised to halt deportations but after a spike in border crossings his government ended up controlling them.

According to ICE’s recently published report, a streamlined procedure contributed to the sharp increase in deportations during the previous fiscal year. Also as per the CIA, more deportation flights headed to long distance locations including Asia and Africa which for years did not accept US deportations.

The majority of deportations in fiscal year 2024 included migrants who were detained by border officials compared to individuals ICE caught in the US region. Of the 271,000 immigrants deported that year only 82% of them were arrested by the officials. 

Trump promised to launch the “largest deportation operation in history” when he becomes a new President on January 20 but there probably will be severe financial and logistical obstacles to this promise. Before his victory against Kamala Harris in November, Trump spent most of his campaign trail time criticizing the White House’s border policies.

As per the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the number of migrant interactions along the US – Mexico border peaked in December 2023 but it has since drastically decreased especially in recent months and is currently at its lowest level since July 2020.

Mexican officials have been cracking down harder on the migrant flow that is traveling north to the US border. Together with Mexico’s assistance, President Biden’s executive action in June drastically reduced the number of asylum requests which in turn reduced the number of unauthorized border crossings. Since then, the US Border Patrol has released 70% fewer people who are still pending immigration court procedures.

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