FACT BRIEF

Did US deportations increase during the Trump Administration?

Thursday, August 12, 2021

By EconoFact

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Aggregate deportations statistics include both individuals turned back at the U.S. border and actions taken against those within the United States who may have been in the country for many years (interior removals). Interior removals rose in the 2016 – 2020 period, relative to the period immediately preceding this, but were lower than the numbers in the 2008 – 2012 period. But the number of individuals in detention rose dramatically in the latter part of the 2010s – the average daily number of individuals in immigration detention was 28,000 in 2015 and 50,000 in 2019. The latter figure far exceeds historical values. By the end of September 2020, roughly 20,000 remained in detention due to several factors and policy changes related to the pandemic.

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Sources

Immigration and Customs Enforcement Enforcement and Removal Operations FY 2020 Achievements

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