Former US President Barack Obama deported 500K people per year while in office. This earned him the nom de guerre “deporter in chief.” President Donald Trump has expressed his desire to deport 1M. There are two differences in their approaches.
The administration has set its sights on deporting 1 million people annually, which would more than double the annual peak set during the Obama administration that helped earn him a critical reputation of “deporter in chief. USA Today
The first difference is that under Obama ICE was focused on deporting criminals; illegal aliens that posed a threat to property and people. He wasn’t rounding up people en masse to deport them to live under the Venezuelan dictatorship (PBS) for example. Immigrants attempting to attain legal status to be here were allowed to pursue those avenues.
“When you have your officers and agents focused on grabbing as many people as you can. What you’re doing is you’re diverting the resources that could be focused on those more serious criminal populations, the real problem here,” said John Sandweg, who was acting director of ICE under President Barack Obama. Newsweek
The second difference is the Obama administration managed to do this without making it grand theater. There were no large deployments of ICE agents wearing fatigues, bringing attention to themselves like the rookies they are. They weren’t beating up and shooting women; acting like Sturmabteilung in cities.
This past year’s ICE deployment are nothing but grand standing, intimidation and provocation. This whole show is designed to create a reaction and garner support from Trump’s base.
A wise leader, one who understands democracy is about the people, would attempt to de-escalate the situation. A competent leader would pull ICE out of Minnesota – not send more troops and further escalate an already dangerous situation. A just leader would submit officers accused of criminal activity and the accompanying evidence to be investigated by the state’s law enforcement.
Let’s see those Epstein Files.