Trump Deportations (2025)
• Total Deportations (January 20–May 2025): By May 3, 2025, ICE reported approximately 72,000 removals since January 26, 2025, averaging 736 per day, slightly below Biden’s FY 2024 daily average of 742.
• Monthly Trends:
• February 2025: ~11,000 deportations, lower than Biden’s ~12,000 in February 2024.
• April 2025: ~17,200 deportations, a 29% increase over Biden’s ~13,300 in April 2024, marking the first month Trump surpassed Biden’s pace.
• Context: Trump’s administration prioritized interior enforcement, with ICE arrests doubling to ~23,000 in February 2025 compared to Biden’s monthly averages. However, deportations lagged due to limited detention space (41,500 beds) and fewer border crossings (down 95% from Biden’s peak). By April, ICE added 47 detention facilities and increased deportation flights (from 4–4.5 to 6–6.5 per day).
• Claims vs. Reality: Trump’s administration claimed 139,000 deportations by April 28, 2025, and surpassing Biden’s FY 2024 total, but these figures were exaggerated. Actual removals were about half the claimed amount, and Biden’s 272,000 FY 2024 removals remained higher.
Comparison
• Volume: Biden’s total deportations (4.4 million over four years) far exceed Trump’s 2025 figures (~72,000 through May). Even in FY 2024 alone, Biden’s 271,000 deportations outpace Trump’s five-month total in 2025.
• Pace: Trump’s daily deportation rate in 2025 (736) is slightly below Biden’s FY 2024 rate (742), but April 2025 showed an uptick, suggesting a potential acceleration.
• Focus:
• Biden: Emphasized border removals (82% of FY 2024 deportations), with fewer interior enforcement actions due to resource allocation and policy constraints.
• Trump (2025): Shifted to interior enforcement, targeting criminals and non-criminals alike, with arrests up 111% over Biden’s FY 2024 monthly average. Deportations of non-criminals rose slightly (e.g., 390 in February 2025 vs. 223 in December 2024).
• Challenges:
• Biden: Strained by record border arrivals and limited ICE resources (6,000 deportation officers for 7.7 million cases).
• Trump: Constrained by detention capacity and diplomatic hurdles in deporting to certain countries, though mitigated by new facilities and military support.
Notes
• Data Limitations: Trump’s 2025 figures are incomplete, covering only January–May. Biden’s numbers include Title 42 expulsions, which inflate totals but differ from formal deportations.
• Policy Impact: Biden’s deportations surged in response to border pressures, while Trump’s 2025 efforts focus on interior enforcement and deterrence (e.g., ending “catch-and-release”).
• Disputed Claims: X posts and Trump’s team exaggerated 2025 deportation figures (e.g., claiming 139,000 by April), while some Biden supporters overstated his totals without context (e.g., 4.4 million includes expulsions).
Conclusion
Biden’s administration deported significantly more people overall (4.4 million, including expulsions) than Trump has in 2025 (~72,000 through May). However, Trump’s pace increased by April 2025, surpassing Biden’s monthly total for the first time, driven by interior enforcement and expanded resources. If sustained, Trump’s 2025 deportations could approach Biden’s FY 2024 levels, but they remain far below Biden’s full-term totals.