Immigration policy of Donald Trump

In the first three years of Barack Obama’s presidency, 1.18 million people were deported from the US, and the Trump administration has so far deported 800,000 people. In 2016, Donald Trump, after becoming the 45th president of the United States, promised to be tough on immigration; some weeks before a new US presidential election, which is scheduled for November 3, the media has analysed his promises.

Under former US President Obama, deportations hit a record of 409,849 in 2012; under current President Trump, the highest number of deportations was in 2018 with 256,085. Recently presidential candidate Joe Biden called Obamas’ deportations a “big mistake.”

Obama supporters argue that numbers need context. An Obama’s advisor explained to CNN that Obama prioritised deporting convicted people and recent arrivals. Under Trump administration, administrative arrests (detention of individuals without trial) of migrants who illegally entered and stayed in the United States rose 30% in 2017, regardless whether they had a criminal record, after Trump signed an executive order that expanded ICE’s (the US immigration agency) enforcement.

Mr Trump also pledged to build a wall on the southern border that Mexico would pay. According to Donald Trump’s website, his administration has secured funding for approximately 445 miles (716 km) of the total 722 miles (1,161 km) of the border.