No matter one’s political persuasion, we’re all concerned with growing violence surrounding immigrants and deportation policies. Yet attempts to discuss the matter often fail in emotionally charged reactions based on left/right divisions. But the violent excesses we now witness in Minneapolis, and the deliberately dehumanizing, sadistic pleasure in the pain and suffering of others exemplified by the “Catch of the Day” in Maine, are opening the door for shared moral indignation.

Immigration/deportation statistics are complex, require studied interpretation and can vary some depending on the source. However, numbers for past and current presidential administrations do shed light:

• George W. Bush (2001-2008) – 8 years – Total deportations: 2,021,965 – Annual average: 252,745.

• Barack Obama First 4 Years (2009-2012) – Total deportations: 1,589,451 – Annual average: 397,362.

• Barack Obama Second 4 Years (2013-2016) – Total deportations: 1,160,255 – Annual average: 290,063

• Barack Obama (2009-2016) – Total for 8 years – total deportations: 2,749,706 – Annual average: 343,713.

• Donald Trump First 4 Years (2017-2020) – Total deportations: 935,346 – Annual average: 233,836

• Donald Trump Second 4 Years (ongoing) January-June 2025 – Total deportations: 128,039 over first 5.2 months.

Total deportations for full 4 years at rate for first 5.2 months: 1,177,959. Projected 8 year total deportations: 2,113,305. Projected annual average: 264,163.

With total deportations of 2,749,706, the eight years of the Obama administration exceed the Bush administration by over 700,000, and the projected number for eight years of the Trump Administration by 600,000.

For better comparison, Obama deported 1,160,255 people in his first four years compared to 935,346 during the first four years of Trump.

In some circles Obama was labeled the “Deporter in Chief.”

The point is, while deportations under Bush and Obama were higher than under President Trump, there was no mass violence perpetrated by thousands of masked, armed “agents” descending upon our cities.
There were no unauthorized entries of private homes, no mass stopping of vehicles driven by people of color, no killing of innocent U.S. citizens legally demonstrating against brutal ICE tactics. Federal agents simply did their jobs, effectively, non-violently and legally.

So, the obvious question – since previous administrations were more effective in peacefully removing immigrants than the Trump administration is with the masked, armed storm troopers currently invading our communities – why is this violent assault on Americans and our cities needed?
It is easy to conclude it has nothing to do with immigrants. There are historic parallels.

Like the Jewish people in economically depressed Germany in the years following World War I, our immigrants provide a scapegoat. Blaming them, as Jews were blamed in Nazi Germany, deflects from the gross inequality that is at the heart of growing economic stress among increasing numbers of average, working Americans.

The anger of the “angry white male,” the anger of the MAGA citizens who elected President Trump, is not unfounded. But the fault for the declining economic well-being of millions of Americans is not with “immigrants stealing jobs” etc.

We Americans must address the gross inequality, the insatiable, sociopathic greed of the billionaire class, plundering our lives and communities, purchasing and corrupting our government, if we ever hope to overcome the root causes of current problems.

The tragedy of the ongoing immigrant “crisis” is more a deflection of truth and responsibility – scapegoating – than any honest goal of addressing the real problems facing average Americans.
The oft repeated words of former Chief Justice Louis Brandeis warrant repeating again and again, “We can have democracy [and economic prosperity for all] in this country, or we can have great wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can’t have both.”

Dave Svelik is a former Industrial Automation teacher and union member at Northcentral Technical College in Wausau, Wiscosnin. Writer for Middle Wisconsin News and an activist for sanity in America. Dave lives in Kronenwetter, Wis.