Under the Obama administration, the total number of deportations reached record highs, and reporting at the time indicates that Chinese nationals were included in the overall deportation figures. However, there is no evidence to suggest that the administration specifically targeted or initiated a mass deportation campaign focused solely on Chinese immigrants.
Key details about Obama-era deportations:
- Record-high numbers: The Obama administration set new records for the total number of people deported. For instance, in fiscal year 2013, 438,421 people were deported, which was a record at the time.
- Targeting of certain groups: The administration initially prioritized the deportation of individuals with criminal convictions or those who had recently crossed the border illegally. Data indicates that between 2009 and 2012, both deportations of those with prior convictions and those without rose.
- Includes Asian communities: In 2013, immigrant rights groups noted that Asian immigrants, including Chinese nationals, were affected by the administration's high deportation numbers. During a 2013 visit to San Francisco's Chinatown, advocates specifically urged President Obama to end the deportation of immigrants from the Asian community.
- High-level focus on removals: A 2014 ACLU report criticized the administration for prioritizing speed over fairness in the removal system, pointing to the increase in non-judicial, "fast-track" deportations.
- Context with other administrations: While the Obama administration was known for high deportation numbers, especially in its early years, subsequent analysis has provided further context
. For example, the Cato Institute found that other presidents also had high deportation rates when analyzed by the percentage of the estimated unauthorized population
.
In summary, while Chinese nationals were part of the general population of immigrants deported under the Obama administration, they were not the focus of a unique or targeted mass deportation event. The era was marked by high deportation numbers across many nationalities due to a broader focus on immigration enforcement. [10]
