Former President Trump Vows to Carry Out Massive Deportation if Re-elected

 

The 2024 United States presidential election will be held one year from now.  As the forerunner of the Republican presidential nomination, former President Donald Trump has shared his agenda for immigration policy.  Trump made some radical promises to conservative voters that have even surpassed himself.  The following are some of Trump's immigration policies as reported by the media recently:

• Conduct a "massive deportation" to remove hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants.

• Sign an executive order to end birthright citizenship to children whose parents are not American citizens or legal residents.

• Continue to build and extend the border wall on the southern border.

• Limit political asylum to foreigners, and require them to wait for their hearings in Mexico.

• Give the National Guard and state officials the authority to arrest and deport immigrants living in the U.S. illegally. 

• Deny legal immigration based on the applicants' ideological beliefs, such as Marxists and communists.

• Halt refugee admissions from the Middle East.

• Expand the travel ban to bar the entry of citizens from certain countries, most of them majority Muslim or African.

• Revive Title 42 pandemic-era policy to expel migrants on public health grounds, including unaccompanied children.

As usual, Trump's rhetoric is characterized by intimidation and high-handed tactics.  However, many of Trump's bold promises may be appealing to his supporters but will not likely materialize because of legal, operational and humanitarian challenges. For example, the birthright citizenship has been guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution for decades.  To amend the Constitution would require a two-thirds majority vote in both Chambers of the Congress or by a constitutional convention called for by two-thirds of the State legislatures, both of which are extremely unlikely.  

Deporting hundreds of thousands of individuals would require tremendous amount of resources that our government simply does not have now.  Many illegal immigrants have already built a life here, and deporting them would mean taking away somebody's husband, wife, father, mother, etc. The humanitarian concerns and social issues involved would be difficult to justify.  Legally, his policies will certainly face tough legal challenges in court.

Immigration will likely continue to be a hot topic in the presidential debates. Despite the polarized positions of the political parties, most politicians agree that immigration reform is overdue.  For instance, we need a better system to attract and retain talent from other countries. It is hoped that these debates will result in a comprehensive immigration plan that is both fair and humane. 

(Immigration laws and policies change regularly.  If you have any questions regarding this article, please visit www.1visa1.com to schedule a legal consultation.)