Elon Musk recently reposted a statement on X claiming that former U.S. Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush deported far more people than Donald Trump, yet they never faced legal blocks. This post appears as Trump faces heavy criticism over recent deportations to El Salvador, especially involving the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia. A federal judge recently condemned the Trump administration for ignoring the Supreme Court’s orders to stop certain deportations.

The viral post Musk shared read, “Bill Clinton: 12.3 million deportations – 0 injunctions, George W. Bush: 10.3 million deportations – 0 injunctions, Barack Obama: 5.3 million deportations – 0 injunctions. Donald Trump: 100 thousand deportations – 30 injunctions.”
This message came from the X user @AlecLace.

Migration Policy Data Supports Claim

Data from the Migration Policy Institute (MPI) supports the claim that deportation numbers were highest under Clinton. According to a 2017 MPI analysis, more than 12 million people were deported or returned during Clinton’s presidency. The Bush administration followed with over 10 million removals. In contrast, President Obama’s administration deported around 5 million people.

Obama Faced Criticism, Too

Despite the lower numbers, Barack Obama was often labeled the “deporter-in-chief” during his 2012 re-election campaign. Critics argued his policies led to mass deportations, though his administration defended the approach.

Cecilia Muñoz, one of Obama’s top domestic policy advisers, once told CNN that comparing deportation figures across administrations doesn’t tell the full story.
“If you’re not targeting and focused on people who recently arrived, then the border is effectively open. It is more humane to be removing people who have been here two weeks than it is to be removing people who have been here for 20 years and have families,” she said.

Supreme Court Blocks Trump Deportation

While the Trump administration continues with strict immigration enforcement, the Supreme Court has recently intervened. On Saturday, it temporarily stopped the government from deporting a group of Venezuelan migrants, who had been accused of gang activity.

The court’s decision highlights ongoing legal challenges that Trump’s deportation policies are facing—unlike previous presidents who enforced immigration laws without similar legal roadblocks.