President Barack Obama, whom immigrants rights advocates labeled the “deporter in chief,” recorded 5.3 million removals during his two terms. There were subtle effects on the economy because immigration arrests also occurred at worksites during those years, said David Leblang, a professor of politics and public policy at the University of Virginia. The difference is that enforcement focused on people with felony convictions, he said, while the current campaign is targeting anyone without legal status.
David Leblang
