The Trump administration's "zero tolerance" immigration policy became the leading political issue of the summer of 2018, with images and accounts of children being separated from their detained immigrant parents causing widespread outrage and fierce debate.
In light of this outrage, some commentators — many but by no means all supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump — sought to highlight the immigration policies of former president Barack Obama and leveled allegations of hypocrisy against Trump's liberal opponents, reminding them that some critics of Obama referred to him as the "Deporter-in-Chief" during his administration due to the record number of deportations that took place during his two terms — which was due in part, but not entirely, to a change in the definition of the word.
On 23 June 2018, the right-wing "Federalist Papers" Facebook page published a widely-shared meme which claimed that Obama had overseen the separation of 89,000 children from their parents at the United States border with Mexico, alleging a "double standard" and "media bias" against Trump.
Compare:
[Donald Trump] 1,900 children separated from parents at border. Result -- MEDIA FRENZY.
[Barack Obama] 89,000 children separated from parents at border. Result -- SILENCE.This exposes the huge double-standard and media bias against Trump.
