News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. Oct. 3, 2014: President Barack Obama swept into office in 2008 on the backs of many immigrant voters and on promises of comprehensive immigration reform. Yet, in the five years since holding the post as President and Commander-in-Chief, his administration has deported more than 3 million immigrants to Latin America and the Caribbean, the most of any U.S. President and the most to any region on earth.
The total stands at 3,526,719, according to an analysis of newly released Department of Homeland Security data. The majority was sent back to Mexico for the period 2009-2013 alone – a total of 2,774,468. But even before the crisis at the boarder involving Central Americans, a large number of migrants from this region were also being deported in droves back to their home nations.
Guatemala received a whopping 246,444 migrants back from the U.S. in the five years since Obama took office while Honduras saw 211,519 deportees during the same period and El Salvador, 175,506.
By contrast, Central America received fewer deportees under the George W. Bush administration. Some 122,938 were sent back to Guatemala in the five years before Obama took office while 177,747 were deported to Honduras and 155,231 to El Salvador, almost 200,000 less than current totals.
No other nations in Central America or Latin America received as many deportees since Obama took office but the numbers were also higher for other Caribbean and Latin nations than when Bush was President.
Some 23,212 immigrants were sent packing back to the Dominican Republic between 2009 and 2013 alone, the highest for any Caribbean country and the fifth highest for any nation in the Americas. The Dominican Republic deportees total under Bush was 19,522.
Cuba received 20,503 deportees in the past five years to come in at number six, while Brazil took the seventh spot in the Americas with 14,287 deportees sent back over the years since President Obama has held the reins of the United States.
Jamaica rounded out the Americas for most deportees since Obama took office, with 13,803 between 2009 and 2013. Prior to that, under President Bush, the total between 2004 and 2008 stood at 7,775, proving that under Obama, the number has almost doubled.
The only nations receiving more deportees under Bush than Obama were Mexico and Cuba. The number of deportees to Mexico was more with 5,031,687 deported between 2004-2008 while 22,811 were sent back to Cuba.
Deportee totals to other nations during the past five years were also higher according to the DHS data:
Haiti
8,823 – under Obama
5,884 – under Bush
Trinidad & Tobago
2,866 – under Obama
| 1,850 – under Bush |
Guyana
1,983 –under Obama
1,335 – under Bush
Argentina
1,918 –under Obama
1,581 – under Bush
Belize
1,653 –under Obama
901 – under Bush
The Bahamas
1,441 – under Obama
622 – under Bush
Barbados
389 – under Obama
250 – under Bush
Antigua & Barbuda
259 –under Obama
165 –under Bush
Cayman Islands
515 – under Obama
358 – under Bush
Grenada
279 – under Obama
145 – under Bush
Dominica
268 – under Obama
205 – under Bush
Saint Lucia
313– under Obama
227 – under Bush
Saint Vincent & Grenadines
245 – under Obama
128 – under Bush
St. Kitts/Nevis
202 – under Obama
105 – under Bush
Suriname
100 – under Obama
76– under Bush
Bermuda
100 – under Obama
33 – under Bush
British Virgin Islands
50 – under Obama
12 – under Bush
Montserrat
31 – under Obama
14 – under Bush.
While the President has consistently insisted he supports immigration reform, his administration’s actions on the deportation front has resulted in many of his base turning away in disgust. Pew Research Center research show more Hispanics have expressed disapproval of the growing number of deportations during the Obama administration and six-in-ten Hispanic adults say the increased number of deportations of unauthorized immigrants is a “bad thing.”
Obama’s delay in making immigration changes on his own from end of Summer to now after the November midterm elections is also a source of discontent.
Last night he tried his best to explain to a roomful of wary Hispanic supporters at the Hispanic Congressional Caucus Institute Gala again that he was really on their side, stating: “I am not going to give up this fight until it gets done.” But to the protestors picketing outside, the time for promises are over. Their message on the picket lines said it all: “Immediate relief from deportation” now.
