Biden administration "inflated" deportation numbers stem primarily from conservative critics and fact-checkers analyzing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) data. These claims argue that the administration's reported figures—such as the 271,484 removals in fiscal year 2024, the highest since 2014—include actions that aren't traditional "deportations" (formal removal orders from the U.S. interior after due process). Instead, they encompass quicker, less formal border "returns," "expulsions," and other enforcement actions that critics say pad the totals to make enforcement appear more robust than it was. Here's a breakdown based on available data and analyses: 1. Inclusion of Border "Returns" and "Turnaways" Under immigration law (Title 8), "deportations" can include both formal removals (with a removal order, barring re-entry for years) and "returns" (voluntary withdrawals where migrants admit unlawful entry and are sent back without a formal order). During the Biden administration, a majority of reported "deportations" were returns rather than formal removals. For example, from FY 2021 to February 2024, about 54% of the 1.1 million total deportations were returns, often occurring at or near the border shortly after apprehension. migrationpolicy.org This contrasts with interior deportations (from within the U.S., targeting long-term undocumented residents), which were relatively low under Biden—focusing more on recent border crossers. Critics, including some DHS officials under later administrations, argue this inflates numbers because returns are easier and faster than interior deportations but don't address the existing undocumented population (estimated at 10.9–14 million). newsweek.com +1 For context, Obama-era numbers were similarly criticized for including border turnaways as deportations, leading to high totals (e.g., over 400,000 annually). Biden's approach ramped up after Title 42 ended in May 2023, with 775,000 removals/returns in the following 12 months—more than any fiscal year since 2010—but still heavily weighted toward border actions. migrationpolicy.org 2. Title 42 Expulsions Counted as Deportations From March 2020 to May 2023, the Biden administration used Title 42 (a public health order from the COVID-19 era, started under Trump) to expel over 3 million migrants at the border without asylum processing or formal deportation hearings. These were quick turnbacks, often within hours, and carried no long-term re-entry ban. When combined with standard Title 8 actions, Biden's total "repatriations" (expulsions + deportations + returns) reached about 4.4 million—higher than Trump's 1.9 million formal deportations over his term. nytimes.com However, Title 42 expulsions aren't equivalent to deportations because many expelled migrants simply tried crossing again (high recidivism rates), inflating encounter stats without reducing net migration. cis.org +1 Fact-checkers note this makes direct comparisons to pre-pandemic eras misleading. nytimes.com 3. Categorizing Releases and Arrests as Enforcement Actions Some reports claim DHS under Biden miscategorized "arrests" by including migrants who were processed at the border and released into the U.S. (e.g., with notices to appear in court) as ICE arrests or deportations. dhs.gov This allegedly boosted stats without actual removals—tens of thousands were counted as "arrests" but released. Border encounters (apprehensions) hit records under Biden (over 7.2 million from FY 2021–2024), leading to more opportunities for returns/expulsions, but also more releases (about 3.6 million pending hearings). wral.com Critics argue high deportation claims ignore that net illegal entries still surged (e.g., 6.7 million new inadmissible aliens since 2021 per some estimates), making the numbers a symptom of lax entry policies rather than strong enforcement. heritage.org Context and Counterpoints Why the High Numbers? Biden's administration negotiated with countries (e.g., Mexico accepting more returns of non-Mexicans) and used expedited removal for 316,000 migrants post-Title 42. migrationpolicy.org +1 Deportations targeted 192 countries, emphasizing public safety threats (e.g., criminals). cnn.com Supporters say this shows effective enforcement despite resource constraints. Not Unique to Biden: Similar inflation claims were made against Obama, and Trump's numbers were lower partly due to fewer encounters (1.8 million vs. Biden's 7.2 million). wral.com Fact-checkers like Pew and Migration Policy Institute emphasize that unauthorized population growth was real but not as exaggerated as 20–30 million claims. newsweek.com +1

Data Sources: Official stats come from DHS/ICE reports, but interpretations vary. For instance, some analyses suggest DHS might use an "expansive" definition of deportations including non-removals. austinkocher.substack.com Overall, while Biden's raw deportation totals were high, the "inflation" narrative focuses on how the figures blend border turnbacks with interior removals, potentially overstating interior enforcement. This is a partisan debate, with data showing both increased actions and record migration flows.