Donald Trump, surprisingly, received significant support from the Latino community, which today makes up about 22% of the American population. Although many of these members are undocumented or have undocumented relatives in their families, it seems they were not bothered by Trump’s flagship anti-immigrant proposals during this year’s campaign.
The elected president promised a broad overhaul of U.S. immigration policy, one that aims to intensify the already strident measures from his first term.
According to the plans he shared throughout his campaign, Trump intends to initiate mass deportations of millions of people, a project that could be marked by widespread raids in workplaces and the involvement of the U.S. military, all while allocating federal resources to expand the wall on the U.S.-Mexico border.
If Trump proceeds with his agenda, it will represent a dramatic shift in American immigration policy over the past four years, targeting millions of undocumented immigrants and redefining the nation’s approach to newcomers.
Trump’s grim vision of immigration has helped define his political career since he launched his first presidential campaign in 2015. His rhetoric around the issue has raised concerns that his immigration agenda is rooted in an idealized fantasy. He stated in a speech last December that immigrants arriving in the U.S. are “poisoning the blood of our country.” Last month, he said that undocumented immigrants who commit murders have “bad genes.”
But these comments alone did not offend the Latinos who voted for him.
However, Trump’s proposals have reignited debates about legality, ethics, and the potential social impacts of a crackdown on this specific group of people. Critics argue that his strategies could pose fundamental challenges to civil rights and humanitarian obligations.
What did Trump promise?
Mass deportations
Trump signaled an ambition to carry out what he calls the “largest domestic deportation operation in American history.” This could mean a years-long effort to remove about 11 million people who are in the country without authorization. The Trump Administration aims to leverage expedited removal processes, which allow for quick deportations without the usual legal hearings. His campaign emphasized that such measures are within existing legal frameworks and do not require new legislation.
Using the military
Trump’s proposal to use the military for immigration law enforcement marks a significant escalation in the federal government’s approach to undocumented immigrants. By invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 and the Insurrection Act, he plans to mobilize federal troops to assist in apprehending immigrants at the southern border, a move that raises serious legal and ethical concerns about the military’s role in domestic law enforcement. Trump stated that he will move thousands of troops currently stationed abroad to the U.S. southern border.
Raids in workplaces
A second Trump Administration plans to expand raids in workplaces as a method of identifying and apprehending undocumented immigrants. The strategy, which he also intensified during his first term, aims to increase the visibility and enforcement of immigration laws in everyday settings, targeting industries that frequently employ unauthorized workers, such as construction, manufacturing, farms, and restaurants.
Expanding the border wall
Expanding and reinforcing the border wall is another cornerstone of Trump’s immigration agenda, a promise that resonates deeply with his base. The U.S.-Mexico border is nearly 2,000 miles long. During Trump’s first term, the U.S. government built less than 500 miles of border wall, much of which replaced smaller, dilapidated barriers. Trump indicated plans to redirect military funding to build new sections of the wall, circumventing the need for Congress to allocate funds for this specific goal.
Returning to the ‘Remain in Mexico’ policy
Trump promised to reinstate the “remain in Mexico” policy that he implemented during his first term. This policy, formally known as the Migrant Protection Protocols, forced immigrants who entered the U.S. through the southern border and applied for asylum to return to Mexico while their cases were heard.
More Border Patrol agents
Trump plans to hire 10,000 new Border Patrol agents. This could be a challenging task, as the U.S. Border Patrol has struggled to fill existing positions due to moral issues and funding problems. Trump promised to offer salary increases and bonuses to improve recruitment and retention within the agency.
Ending birthright citizenship
On his first day back in office, Trump promised to issue an executive order ending the long-standing constitutional principle that children born in the U.S. receive citizenship. Trump stated that he will instruct federal agencies to require that any child born in the U.S. have at least one parent who is a legal permanent resident or citizen before they can receive a passport or Social Security number.
But there is a small detail: the 14th Amendment of the American Constitution guarantees citizenship to all persons born in the U.S., regardless of their race. Changing the constitutional amendment is already on another level.
Ideological screenings for immigrants
Trump promised to bring back the travel ban on people from majority-Muslim countries that he implemented during his first term. His campaign wrote on X in October 2023 that he will “reinstate and expand” the travel ban from “terror-ridden countries” and “implement a strong ideological screening for all immigrants.”
And what about proposals to fix the failed immigration system of the country? Resolving once and for all the situation of thousands of ‘Dreamers’ who have been in limbo for years? And the long waiting lines for work green cards that are sending highly skilled workers to other countries?
Although these issues are much more urgent for the Latino community that voted for Trump, none of this has been treated as a priority so far.
It seems that, at least in the area of immigration, it will be four more years of the same.
Source: Time