Those who claim President Barack Obama deported illegal aliens more “humanely” make the following assertions: a) ICE didn’t go into the streets under Obama; b) there were no street activists/protesters/agitators; c) ICE only deported those with criminal records beyond illegal entry or illegally overstaying; d) Obama’s deportation numbers largely include “returns” or those deported at the border; e) the Obama administration did not engage in “lawlessness”; and f) ICE and/or Customs and Border Patrol arrested only illegal aliens after first securing a judicial warrant.
As for a), under Obama, ICE did go into the streets, including into the interior and into “sanctuary” cities like Chicago. Watch “Lost in Detention,” a 2011 episode of the PBS “Frontline” program, where, for example, an illegal alien mother stopped in Illinois for making an illegal lane change was ultimately deported back to Mexico.
Consider this X post:
“… As someone who worked during (the Obama administration), it’s simple. All the ‘sanctuary cities,’ including mine, cooperated fully with ICE and Homeland… So, this, in fact is politicians’ fault because they pick and choose who they want to cooperate with …”
As for b), the media/Dems loved Obama, so they looked the other way. Again, under Obama, there was greater cooperation between local, state and federal officials. In fact, several cities and states adopted sanctuary policies because of this cooperation. The think tank Niskanen Center writes: “The Secure Communities program allowed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to issue detainers for anyone detained by local law enforcement … Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano (in October 2010) stated that DHS ‘did not view (Secure Communities) as an opt-in, opt-out program …
“In response, multiple local jurisdictions, including Cook County, Illinois, and Washington, D.C., passed legislation to limit local compliance with immigration detainers, thus creating sanctuary cities.”
There was no “ICE Watch” to alert activists and protesters. And Obama did not inherit an administration that allowed in 10 million to 15 million illegal aliens.
As for c), deporting only those with “criminal records,” this is from the “nonpartisan” factcheck.org, in January 2026, about the Trump administration: “… Those with criminal convictions or pending charges represented 66% of arrests, which the administration has rounded up to 70%.”
About deportations with criminal records under Obama, in April 2016, The Washington Post wrote:
“While the number of deportations of illegal immigrants with criminal records has declined in recent years, last year this group made up almost 60 percent of the total number expelled from the country, the largest percentage in recent memory …”
As for d) that Obama deportation numbers mostly included those at the border, the left-leaning fact-check site snopes.com wrote:
“…The claim that immigration authorities deported more than 3 million people during the Obama administration (2009-2017) is accurate based on ‘formal removal’ figures reported by the DHS. When including ‘returns’ (those removed at the border), however, the total exceeds 5 million.”
As for e), Trump’s supposed lawless deportations, economist John Lott of the Crime Prevention Research Center wrote:
“The 170 ICE-detained US citizens … included about 130 arrested for interfering with or assaulting officers … justifiable under any reading of the law …
“Only about 40 or so of those who were detained claimed to be US citizens accidentally or erroneously arrested by ICE. … Most were released in a few hours.
“…40 mistakes out of 595,000 arrests amounts to an error rate of just 0.0067% — roughly one wrongful detention for every 14,925 arrests.
“By contrast (during the Obama administration) … In fiscal years 2015 and 2016, ICE recorded 263 mistaken arrests, 54 mistaken detentions (book-ins), and four mistaken removals … about one mistake for every 4,444 arrests …
“During the course of Obama’s two terms, from 2009 to 2017, 56 individuals died in ICE custody. … 56 deaths translates into a rate of 0.007% — roughly one death for every 14,314 detainees.
“By comparison, the rate last year under Trump was slightly lower: 0.0054%, or one death for every 18,594 detainees.
“… Trump made no erroneous deportations through November.”
This brings us to f) about judicial warrants. Snopes.com wrote: “Over the eight-year period of the Obama administration, the percentage of removals carried out without a hearing before an immigration judge ranged from approximately 58% to 84%, averaging roughly 74%.”
What a difference an administration makes. Or rather, what a difference the media coverage of an administration makes.
Larry Elder is a bestselling author and nationally syndicated radio talk-show host. To find out more about Larry Elder, or become an “Elderado,” visit here. Follow Larry on X @larryelder. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate webpage.
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The real difference between the Trump and Obama policies is that the Democrats have paid rioters to cause havoc with President Trump. The Democrats completely hate President Trump. We know that President Trump like President Reagan is for the nation and people. The biggest problem that these two presidents ran into — the lack of support from their own party. The Republican party has members (Rinos) that keep dragging feet as much as possible. The Republicans are facing disaster with the upcoming midterm elections if they don’t get their heads out of the sand.
Of course the democrats say do as I say not as I do. This article shows this as the truth. The democrats under Obama were deporting people left and right from sanctuary cities and states. Including ICE with no demonstrators. Where do they think these ICE agents were arresting these illegals. On the streets of course! If the protesters would go home nobody would know any of this going on. This is all about opposing Trump. But of course the legacy media doesn’t care by not reporting any of this. You shred their lies to threads. They can’t have that? All the protesters would feel betrayed and might turn on them. I love this article only those sheep that follow these progressive billionaires into the abyss will never see this. Till one day they come face to face with the truth. Suicides will follow and many will leave America. I say the sooner the better.
Don’t be fooled. Obozo was removing illegals as a dog and pony show. They came back over the border the next day. Many illegals were deported 8 times! This increased the human trafficking making big money for the cartels and many others in the dem party. Obummer did what he was told to do, just like creepy Biden. They hated Trump because he was not a puppet. Trump is amazing – I hope he does not let up and gets the voting fixed to stop the fraud.
The main stream media owned by 6 corporations is directed from the top to a desired outcome. It should be obvious to everyone that it is not dem vs repub but a WEF globalist communist organized crime network with the intent to take over America by destruction. Trump needs to hit these corporations with RICO and terrorist charges to force them to report the truth and stop the propaganda and other reporting designed to cause harm rather that to enlighten the public.
It’s so ridiculous. They create chaos and then say it’s Trumps fault. Hey, nobody told you to go out and interfere with ICE operations. We hired these men and women to protect us and you are protecting criminals. What is wrong with these mental cases?
The only difference with the deportations is that a Republican president is doing them and now the hypocritical Democrats are against immigration enforcement because they can’t win without illegal aliens and the bias of ABC NBC CBS CNN MSNBC is why I no longer watch those networks
Under Obama the difference was that he was part of the Evil Cabal of Socialists bought and paid for by Soros. Of course there were no confrontations because the paid protesters were not called out to cause havoc and interfere with the due process. Trump happened to be the President when the George Floyd incident happened. He is not now, and never was a part of the Soros Cabal of Socialists, so out comes the paid troops of rioters and so called peaceful demonstrators, who are anything but peaceful. These people have not enough brain cells to share with a flea. They risk their lives, and when really triggered, they even do stupid things and lose their life. Then the Socialists out there start screaming that ICE murdered an innocent protester. Really? When you try to run Law Enforcement down with your car, or you confront Law Enforcement with a gun sticking out of your waist, that is not peaceful and the result is not in your favor.
My question to all those who think Socialism is an ideal lifestyle, why do you stay in this Country? There are a number of Countries who embrace Socialism, why not go there? And the answer to that question can be seen in the lifestyle of Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren who champion Socialism every chance they get. They have multiple, extravagant homes. They have millions of Dollars in the bank. Strange for someone who so vocally espouses Socialism. But it is not their money or their homes they want to share. It is your money, it is your homes and property they want to share. That is Socialism. Take a good hard look at Socialism. Look at Russia or China. Look at the lifestyle of Putin or Xi Jinping. They do not live like the people in their Country. They live a quite lavish life with extravagant homes. The people of their Country however, not so much. Pay attention to the speeches of Mamdani in New York. Do you want your money and your property just taken away from you because the guy you elected says you must give it up so you no longer own your home or your property? People need to learn how to think. Democrats have been telling the Poor that they will lift them out of Poverty for more years than I have been alive. Yet they are still poor and nothing changes. That is lies upon lies, that never come about. And the lies go on.
Unrelated to this article, but Bezos laid off 1/3 of the liberal Washington Post “news staff.” PRAISE THE LORD! I’m pretty sure fast food restaurants are hiring.
Corporate Media like CBS, ABC, NBC, CNN, and MSNBC have lost ALL journalistic integrity. They have chosen the Progressive Leftist communist as their political party of choice and will shelter and protect Democrats and lie and slander Republicans, but there are so many RINO in the republican party so Trump is the biggest threat so ANYTHING Trump does is going to be vilified.
The Illegals-LOVING, America-hating Socialist Commie DemoRATS are America’s worst ENEMIES WITHIN.
NO WAIT. The mega-corrupt, biased and evil Fake News medias are America’s worst ENEMIES WITHIN.
NO WAIT. BOTH OF THESE GROUPS OF SADISTIC BASTARDS ARE WITHOUT QUESTION, AMERICA’S MOST VILE, MORAL-LESS, AND DESPICABLE ENEMIES WITHIN.
AND THEY SHOULD BE CLASSIFIED AS TERRORISTS AND TREATED AS SUCH.
What did you guys do is zoom meeting with Captain obvious? Everybody knows the media has a double standard if you’re alive you would know that! Now we have to have a blue ribbon commission to determine if there’s a double standard right? Give me a break, this can’t be a serious article is it? Next thing we’re going to have to have a commission to determine whether or not Democrats lie. No wonder we have problems in this country if somebody has to do a study or pull a commission together to determine whether or not the media has a double standard.
Go after the money, declare them all “enemy of the state”
Obama in the eyes of the media could do no wrong even if he tried. Excuses, closed eyes and ingratiating and kissing the hand. They were as much of a stouthearted man as he
This kind of crap is one Main reason I am no longer democrap. Been one for all of my67 yrs until OhMamma, almost coat me my house. Started doing my own homework they never even show up to vote on anything unless it helps them. I can not be with a party of lying, theiving, cheating tantrum throwing brats. They seem to want to wipe out everything we believe in amd fight for
Do not trust the Boob Toob it lies. Family Fued did a question 100 out of 100(only time thathappened) if they thought tv insulted their intelligence 100 said yes. Do you really believe that little is happening in the world. No they just wont show us. It is crazy in Europe with them letting the illegals in now they cant even fly their own flag. They get offended. OFFENDED. HOW DARE THEY. Do your homework find out truths not lies lies nothing happening lie lie lie.
You might trust .01% of what the Media says, personally, I take it all with a dose of SALT. Most are just trying to influence the public, just propaganda.
The “media” is THE biggest problem. If we had an honest media, this would be known. I belong to Amac because of thought like this. How do we get it to the general public? That’s the question.
Every adult should look beyond the main stream media for a balance of news. Considering the protection for criminal illegal aliens, paid protesters, violence against law enforcement, rabid Dem support for no ID in elections and their near total insistence for their agenda to include threats and shutdowns; how would a voter consider voting for them? The GOP offers many opportunities for our distain but given the choice of D or R we have no good choice in the current atmosphere. The stakes are too high to exercise displeasure by voting D.
Well written, Mr Elder! Thank you.
DEMOCRATS CAN DO ANYTHING AND IT IS OKAY, TRUMP CAN BE FOLOWING LAW AND STOPPED. PRETTY FUNNY AND NOT HA HA FUNNY IT STINKS
Ty Mr Elder n per usual-excellent article. Imho a hard Left turn occurred before bHUSSEINo 1st Term n I personally Stopped ALL msm from entering my minds eye around 2007. From the skin melanin CON to his closet Islam, the stench of a poisonous propagandized n GODless media fabrication press corp was an easily distasteful odor for ✝️hose who hav noses… n it continues shamefully. FLEE YOUTHFUL LUSTS.
Thanks AMAC for this article, I just wish the average democrat would read it. I believe these protesters are being paid to protest, by factions not listed by our DOJ. We all know that nobody is that devoted to a cause, that they will protest in sub-zero temps, and risk their futures even their lives, without compensation.Simple as that. Follow the dollars..
The more the Democrats take such absurd stands to oppose Trump the less votes they will get in the Mid-Terms. And dollars to donuts they will STILL not see a connection between their assinine stances and the election results!
Why don’t you feel comfortable? We are pretty much all Republicans here that i know of.
“Comprehensive immigration reform” is just a code word for AMNESTY! As everyone can see, the current laws work just fine IF they are enforced!