‘Deporter-in-Chief’ Barack Obama Still Holds the Record at 3 Million Deportations vs Trump’s 1.2 Million [WATCH]

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.

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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.”

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The DHS defines a “removal” as a formal process in which someone inside the U.S. is expelled by court order.

Obama’s administration also cracked down on unauthorized border crossers in ways that were more aggressive and effective than his predecessors.

The strategy focused on two major fronts: 1) recent illegal border crossings and 2) undocumented immigrants with criminal records already residing in the U.S.

Before Obama’s presidency, many unauthorized border crossers were simply sent back to Mexico voluntarily, facing no penalty.

That lax approach changed during the Obama years, when the administration began processing a larger number of these individuals through formal deportation proceedings.

This shift not only drove up deportation totals but also carried long-term consequences for those deported, including a 10-year reentry ban and, in some cases, permanent barring from the U.S.

As a result, many would-be repeat crossers were deterred. The percentage of border crossers who tried multiple crossings dropped sharply — from 29% in 2007 to just 14% in 2014.

Obama also expanded federal enforcement infrastructure by using congressional funding to boost the immigration workforce.

In 2003, ICE employed roughly 12,700 personnel. By 2008, that number had grown to 22,000.

His administration tapped into local law enforcement agencies, signing about 70 “287(g)” agreements that allowed local officers to help identify and detain undocumented immigrants.

The now-defunct “Secure Communities” program was another key element.

It allowed local law enforcement to share fingerprint data with ICE to identify and detain potentially deportable immigrants.

Though it led to more deportations — even of individuals with minor or no criminal records — the program sparked backlash from liberal jurisdictions and immigrant-rights groups.

By 2014, bowing to pressure, Obama shut down Secure Communities and replaced it with a narrower enforcement focus targeting serious criminal offenders. Deportations fell slightly that year to about 414,000, and they never again reached the 2013 peak.

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In contrast, Trump entered office with ambitious goals but hit several roadblocks.

A more hardened liberal opposition and sanctuary cities pushed back hard against his immigration agenda. Even Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, threatened to arrest Democratic officials who resisted federal immigration actions — but to little effect.

Despite attempts like workplace raids in California, deploying the National Guard, and even suggesting self-deportation for immigrants from select nations, Trump couldn’t match Obama’s deportation engine.

His total of 1.2 million deportations is less than half of Obama’s eight-year number.

To make matters more complicated, Trump has shown signs of softening on certain sectors of undocumented labor.

In a Truth Social post, he admitted being “torn” about deporting farmworkers and hotel workers after industry leaders said his enforcement was removing “very good, long time workers,” whose jobs are nearly impossible to refill.

Still, Trump is eyeing a comeback with a much larger budget.

A spending bill under Senate consideration would funnel $155 billion into immigration enforcement, over five times current funding levels. If passed, Trump would have an arsenal far larger than Obama’s to execute mass deportations.

Whether he can utilize it effectively — and whether the political and logistical landscape will allow it — remains to be seen.

But one fact stands tall in the immigration debate: For all the talk of Trump’s hardline stance, it’s Barack Obama who holds the 21st-century deportation crown.

Even Hillary Clinton agreed with Trump’s deportation plan in 2008.

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