The media promptly sprung into action, whipping up hysteria and protests across the nation, but the raids were simply routine operations that Immigrations and Customs Enforcement began carrying out two to three times a year — under the Obama administration.
"President Obama has moved millions of people out. Nobody knows about it. Nobody talks about it. But under Obama, millions of people have been moved out of this country. They've been deported," Trump said during the October presidential debate.
Under President Obama, over 2.5 million people were deported — which is not only more than any other president in history, but also more than all presidents in the 20th century combined.
Despite Obama being nicknamed “the deporter-in-chief” by immigration activists, there was near radio silence from the press, who has seemingly been working overtime to use the new raids to cause alarm.
In fact, Obama’s 2014 executive order sounds an awful lot like Trump’s policies. The priority, according to his order, was to deport “threats to national security, border security, and public safety." Included in that were gang members, convicted felons, and anyone charged with an “aggravated felony.”
"The crackdown on illegal criminals is merely the keeping of my campaign promise. Gang members, drug dealers & others are being removed!" Trump tweeted on Sunday.
The statement sounds awfully familiar, while the extreme protests — including the blocking of the 101 freeway in Los Angeles, do not.
