Donald Trump’s plan to crack down on immigration includes the use of a range of tools to deport millions of people from the United States – from obscure laws to military funds and law enforcement agents at all levels of government.
But if we revisit history, we will see that such an effort would dramatically disrupt communities and local economies across the U.S. – and sow fear among the millions of people without legal status.
If elected, Trump wants to mobilize ICE agents – along with the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, federal prosecutors, the National Guard, and even state and local law enforcement agents – to carry out deportations of undocumented immigrants, a source familiar with the plan told Axios.
Trump has long campaigned against immigrants. “They are poisoning the blood of our country,” he said at a rally last month, a phrase he often repeats.
Rapid deportations – now reserved for people who recently crossed the border and are found near it – would be expanded to apply to anyone who illegally crossed the border and could not prove they have lived in the U.S. for more than two years.
Trump would reduce the usual multi-step deportation process, using an obscure clause from the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798 to immediately detain and deport some immigrants with criminal records.
The military could build large centers near the border to house people awaiting deportation.
If implemented, Trump’s plan could evoke scenes from the 1950s, when over 1 million undocumented Mexican immigrants were deported during President Eisenhower’s administration.
It was the largest deportation operation in U.S. history. Most Americans alive today have never seen anything like it.
The operation used military-style tactics to detain and house up to 1.3 million Mexicans – and even some people who were U.S. citizens – according to federal immigration records. Some historians say the number was higher.
The Cost
The dollar cost of Trump’s plan is unclear, and there is much skepticism about whether he will be able to carry it out.
Trump made similar promises in the past, but the levels of deportation during his presidency were not higher than those of his predecessor, Barack Obama.
Who Would Be Targeted?
Among Trump’s targets would be sponsors of unaccompanied minors who crossed the border, according to the source familiar with the plan. Today, the government hands over immigrant children to these sponsors, who are usually the children’s relatives — some without legal status.
Hundreds of thousands of people have also been admitted under Biden’s “parole” program, which guarantees protection for two years. Trump’s plan could target those with expired protection.
About 39% of the 10.5 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S. today are of Mexican nationality, along with about 2.2 million undocumented people from Central America.
The Opposition
Unlike the mass deportations of the past, today there would be resistance from states led by Democrats, well-organized Latino advocacy groups, and “sanctuary cities.” Some employers, community leaders, and churches would also react.
The Contribution of Immigrants
Key decision-makers recognize that immigrants — including those who recently crossed the border illegally — have played an important role in alleviating inflation and helped the American economy avoid a recession after the pandemic, which is not happening in other developed countries.
The good supply of workers has helped address the severe labor shortage in recent years and has increased wages.
So, will Trump this time – if elected – really be able to implement what he promises, or will it just be rhetoric to scare the immigrant community?
Source: Axios