New data released from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) last month reveal that the U.S. government deported close to 369,000 immigrants during fiscal year 2013. Although this is a 10 percent drop in the amount of deportations in 2012, critics point out that a significant amount of immigrants have been torn away from their families, even without being convicted of a crime.

Almost 60 percent, or 216,810, of the total number of deported immigrants had been previously convicted of a crime, according to the ICE report. This number includes the 110,115 individuals apprehended by ICE with a crime conviction and the 106,695 stopped at the border while attempting to unlawfully enter or re-enter the country.

According to ICE officials, these figures are "meeting one or more immigration enforcement priorities" that the Obama administration announced two years ago, stating that his administration would no longer use federal resources to deport immigrants with "low priority cases," like those who pose no threat to homeland security and don't have a criminal record, reports the Bay State Banner.

"The 2013 numbers make clear that we are enforcing our nation's laws in a smart and effective way, meeting our enforcement priorities by focusing on convicted criminals while also continuing to secure our nation's borders," said John Sandweg, the ICE acting director, in a press release according to The Hill.

However, immigrant rights advocates say the numbers are misleading and that they do little to fulfill Obama's promise to stop unnecessary deportations. The report shows that 151,834 individuals were ousted without a criminal conviction, while most of these immigrants only had minor immigration violations such as overstaying their visas, which is considered to be a civil offense, and those who are ignoring deportation orders.

"The government would claim that they have achieved its enforcement goal, and that they only look for criminals. That's all rhetoric," said Emelyn Tapaoan, a Filipino-American adjunct professor at the City University of New York's Manhattan College. "If you're undocumented, even with no criminal record, you have no immunity to deportation. That's the truth."

Pablo Alvarado, executive director of National Day Laborer Organizing Network, is also skeptical about the deportation numbers.

"It's easy for the [Obama] administration to say that those deported fit their priorities when the White House has practically made sneezing a criminal act for immigrants," Alvarado said. "These numbers may represent political calculus for the beltway but, for immigrant families, they represent our parents, siblings and loved ones."

According to the New York Times, President Obama has deported more than 1.9 million immigrants during his tenure, far exceeding any other U.S. president.