Record Numbers of Immigrants Deported During Obama Presidency

The 2015 Yearbook of Immigration Statistics, which the Office of Immigration Statistics issued late last year, reveals that from the time of Barack Obama’s inauguration through the first seven years of his presidency, immigration authorities removed more than 2.7 million foreign nationals from the United States, which is by far the largest number in more than a century. Immigration statistics have been kept since 1890, and Obama’s record on deportation was greater than any other president. Second in line to Obama was President George W. Bush, who oversaw the removal of over 2 million immigrants. In comparison to statistics provided by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Yearbook statistics are not far off. For instance, the Yearbook showed 291,060 removals in 2007, and ICE showed 319,382 removals in 2007. Likewise, the Yearbook showed 416,324 removals in 2012, and ICE showed 409,849 removals in 2012. While there has been some suggestion from immigration officials that the Yearbook figures erroneously include those immigrants who are turned away at the U.S. border, Yearbook figures do not substantially differ from ICE figures, and the Yearbook has a separate section that lists returns. Despite these already high deportation rates, immigration advocates fear that the rates only will continue to increase. Donald Trump repeatedly promised during his presidential campaign to deport all of the estimated 11.1 million undocumented immigrants currently residing in the United States after taking office. Since the election, however, Trump has backed off that promise by focusing primarily on the two or three million immigrants with criminal records. The last great surge in deportation rates occurred during Bill Clinton’s presidency, due in large part to the passage of federal immigration reform bills by Congress in 1996. Landerholm Immigration, A.P.C., has the experience that you need when you are facing deportation charges. We know how to gather the facts that are relevant to your case, assess your options, and determine whether you have any legal defenses that may enable you to avoid deportation and remain in the U.S. Contact the Oakland immigration attorneys at our office today and learn how we potentially can help you and your family through this difficult situation.