Discussions regarding President Donald Trump’s foreign policies have been ongoing in the media since ICE’s presence became prominent in the country. Observers have noted that former President Barack Obama and President Trump share both similarities and differences in their approaches.
Former President Barack Obama served two terms in the Oval Office from 2009 to 2017. In a 2007 speech at the University of Illinois Obama said, “The mission of the United States is to provide global leadership grounded in the understanding that the world shares a common security and a common humanity.” Representing the Democratic Party as a liberal realist; his foreign policy promoted democracy and human rights, but he remained cautious about actions that could spark large-scale ground wars or threaten the safety of U.S. citizens.
President Donald Trump is currently serving his second term in the Oval Office. His first term from 2017 to 2021. After former president Joe Biden withdrew from the 2025 race, Trump was reelected, marking his presidency inconsequential.“We will seek friendship and goodwill with the nations of the world — but we do so with the understanding that it is the right of all nations to put their own interests first,” Trump represents the Republican Party, with an “America First” agenda, and prioritizing a transactional foreign policy. While he is deeply embedded in cultural conservatism, he diverges from traditional values as he enforces the national sovereignty of protecting the border to reduce international entanglements.
Obama’s policies generally protected the undocumented immigrants entering the United States, who had long-term ties and no criminal record. He believed that the only reason to deport immigrants was threats to [border, national, and public] security if they commit misdemeanors and enter illegally. “According to estimates by the Migration Policy Institution, the 2014 priorities would have prioritized about 13 percent of the estimated 11.3 million unauthorized immigrants in the country,” said the Bipartisan Policy Center in a video.
Trump’s policies prioritize illegal immigrants and started the removal proceedings of all people in the country who have not been lawfully admitted or paroled.
His policies primarily target unauthorized immigrants who, ‘Have been convicted of any criminal offense, charged with criminal offense, willfully committed fraud, abused public benefits programs, and who have threatened public [safety] security’ the Bipartisan Policy Center said.
During his presidency, Obama had ICE deport more than three million people, the highest number in presidential history. In his later terms, he loosened the reins and focused on deportations of criminals and non-legal immigrants, believing in the human rights and liberty of people residing in America.
The Migration Policy Institute organization said, “Increasing penalties against unauthorized border crossers by putting far larger shares into formal removal proceedings rather than voluntarily returning them across the border, as had been longstanding practice; and making noncitizens with criminal records the top enforcement target.” President Trump has deported more than 605,000 illegal immigrants in his entire presidency, but receives the most criticism.
Both presidencies utilized the use of ICE [Immigration Customs Enforcement]. The controversy surrounding Trump’s deportations is the violation of the 4th Amendment of the Constitution. “From the Supreme Court’s view, when the police seize you or your property and do so violently, that’s a Fourth Amendment problem where it’s excessive and disproportionate to law enforcement need,” said David Gans, a scholar at the Constitutional Accountability Center to reporters.
“These devastating and disgraceful raids have instilled fear in communities around the country, tearing hundreds of families apart and causing already traumatized parents to stay home from work and keep their children home from school,” said AFL-CIO in an article, showing the parallels between both presidencies behind the curtain of controversy.
Trump is criticized by the media because of his more targeted agenda: military tactics, warrantless home entries, family separations, and large arrests. Whereas Obama remained quiet and prevented ICE from making public arrests during his presidency, avoiding backlash.
ICE director Todd Lyons told CBC News, “ICE is focused on detaining the worst offenders for eventual deportation, but that anyone who is in the U.S. without authorization is subject to arrest, given the administration’s priorities.” Meaning they won’t target U.S citizens, but if there is a suspicion for an arrest they will do so due to the administration’s orders.
