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Biden’s Economic and Immigration Claims Fall Short of Reality, Fact-Check Reveals
Former President Joe Biden made several questionable claims about his administration’s achievements during a recent speech in South Carolina, according to a detailed fact-check of his statements.
Speaking on February 27 at an event celebrating his pivotal primary victory there six years earlier, Biden compared his record to that of current President Donald Trump while making assertions about job creation, economic growth, and border security that don’t align with official government data.
When discussing employment figures, Biden claimed his administration created “2.2 million additional jobs” in his final year in office compared to just “185,000 jobs” in Trump’s first year back in office. However, Bureau of Labor Statistics data tells a different story.
The most recent BLS figures show employment increased by approximately 1.2 million between January 2024 and January 2025, Biden’s last full year in office—significantly lower than his stated 2.2 million figure. Meanwhile, in Trump’s first full year back in office, employment actually grew by 359,000, nearly double what Biden claimed.
Biden may have relied on outdated information, as the BLS did initially report 2.2 million jobs added in 2024 before making annual data revisions in February 2026 that lowered these estimates. When contacted about these discrepancies, Biden’s office did not provide a response.
Economic growth was another area where Biden’s claims fell short of factual accuracy. During his speech, he stated that “the economy grew with record growth” during his presidency—a claim unsupported by Bureau of Economic Analysis data.
The highest quarterly GDP growth under Biden reached 7% in the second and fourth quarters of 2021 as the economy rebounded from the COVID-19 pandemic. His administration’s peak annual growth was 6.2% that same year. These figures, while positive, fall well short of historical records such as the 34.9% growth in the third quarter of 2020 or the 18.9% annual growth in 1942.
Biden’s four-year term saw average annual growth of 3.6%, lower than the 4.5% average during Bill Clinton’s second term or the 5.2% average during Lyndon B. Johnson’s presidency. Excluding the post-pandemic recovery year, Biden’s final three years averaged about 2.7% growth annually, roughly in line with the 50-year average of 2.8%.
On immigration, Biden claimed that “border crossings in the United States were lower” when he left office than when he entered. While technically accurate, this statement lacks important context.
Border Patrol recorded 29,105 apprehensions at the southern border in January 2025, Biden’s final month in office, down from 75,198 in January 2021 when he took over from Trump. However, this comparison obscures the broader trend during his presidency.
Illegal border crossings, measured by apprehensions at the southwest border, were actually 107% higher in Biden’s final year compared to Trump’s last full year. The decrease in Biden’s final months came only after he implemented emergency policies to curb illegal crossings following historically high immigration levels earlier in his term.
Immigration experts attribute the surge during Biden’s presidency to multiple factors, including strong U.S. labor demand, authoritarian governments in countries like Cuba and Venezuela, gang violence in nations such as Haiti and Ecuador, and possibly the appeal of new immigration pathways created by the Biden administration.
The statistics also don’t account for asylum seekers at legal ports of entry, who remained numerous under Biden as his administration began accepting applications through the CBP One mobile app, or immigrants arriving through new legal methods like humanitarian parole programs.
This fact-check highlights how political rhetoric often diverges from statistical reality, especially when officials seek to frame their legacies in the most favorable light possible.
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14 Comments
This fact-check serves as a reminder that we should always approach political claims with a critical eye and scrutinize the underlying data. Maintaining an informed, fact-based public discourse is essential for a healthy democracy.
Well said. Fact-checking helps ensure that political rhetoric aligns with the reality reflected in official government statistics and economic indicators.
The discrepancies between Biden’s statements and the official employment data are concerning. It’s important that political leaders are held accountable and that the public has access to reliable, fact-based information when evaluating economic performance.
It’s disappointing to see political figures making questionable claims that don’t align with the facts. Rigorous fact-checking is crucial to maintain integrity in the democratic process and ensure the public has access to accurate information.
Agreed. This underscores the importance of an independent, nonpartisan media that is willing to hold all politicians accountable, regardless of party affiliation.
This fact-check on Biden’s economic assertions is a good reminder that we should be wary of taking political rhetoric at face value. It’s important to scrutinize the data and evidence behind such claims.
Interesting to see the fact-checking on Biden’s economic claims. The employment data seems to tell a different story than what he stated. I’m curious to learn more about the discrepancies between his statements and the official government figures.
Agreed, it’s important to scrutinize political rhetoric and ensure it aligns with the facts. Fact-checking helps provide a clearer, more accurate picture of the economic realities.
The discrepancies between Biden’s statements and the BLS data raise some concerning questions. I hope this leads to a deeper dive into the actual employment figures and a more honest, data-driven discussion of the economy.
While I appreciate Biden’s efforts to highlight his administration’s economic achievements, this fact-check shows the need for more transparency and accuracy when making public statements. Distorting the facts, even if unintentionally, can undermine public trust.
Absolutely. Leaders should be held to high standards when it comes to the truthfulness and factual accuracy of their claims, especially on critical issues like the economy and job creation.
This fact-check highlights the need for leaders to be precise and accountable when making public claims, especially around important issues like the economy and job creation. Transparency and factual accuracy should be the priority.
Well said. Distorting economic data for political gain undermines public trust. Fact-checking holds leaders responsible and keeps the discourse grounded in reality.
The comparison of Biden’s and Trump’s employment figures raises some valid questions. I hope this fact-check leads to a more nuanced, data-driven discussion about the economy and the performance of different administrations.