Key points
- Trump made illegal immigration main focus of his 2024 presidential campaign
- Pledged to execute the largest deportation operation in the US history
- Mass deportations could cost between $315b to $967b
- US-born citizens are over twice as likely to be arrested for violent crimes
ISLAMABAD: When Syria was in turmoil and people sought refuge from the war, Europe closed its doors until and unless social media was stormed by the dead body of a toddler lying on the beach as his family did not succeed in crossing the sea.
It made Europe to allow Syrian refugees.
Thousands of such stories are related to illegal immigrants, trying to cross the U.S. border, but Trump is hell-bent on enforcing a strict policy for mass deportations.
According to BBC, Donald Trump made illegal immigration a main focus of his 2024 presidential campaign by proposing a series of strict measures aimed at curbing both unauthorised and legal immigration. His plans include mass deportations, policy reversals, and legislative changes that have sparked debate and concerns.
“We will get National Guard, and we will go as far as I am allowed to go, according to the laws of our country,” said Donald Trump in November, while explaining his plan to free America of illegal immigrants to Time Magazine. “Whatever it takes to get them out.”
During his election campaign of 2016, Trump pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexico border, stating, “We will build a great wall along the southern border…and Mexico will pay for the wall.”
Mass Deportations
Mass deportations seem to be his priority in assuming power once again. Immigration is the topic that secured his re-election, he told Time.
“Undocumented immigrants are poisoning the blood of our country. They come from prisons and jails, insane asylums, and savage gangs,” Trump said.
He further added, “They have occupied parts of America. Their strongholds are a war zone. There may be 21 million of them. It is like an invasion that justifies the deployment of the army to round them up. The only solution is the largest deportation operation in American history.”
Trump has pledged to execute the largest deportation operation in U.S. history, targeting millions of undocumented immigrants. He references the 1954 ‘Operation Wetback’ as a model, stating, “Following the Eisenhower model, we will carry out the largest domestic deportation operation in American history.”
Operation Wetback was a controversial U.S. immigration enforcement initiative which was launched in 1954 under President Dwight D. Eisenhower. He wanted to deport undocumented Mexican immigrants.
That operation, according to The Washington Post, resulted in the removal of over one million individuals but faced criticism for unfair treatment, including mass arrests and deportations without due process under the law.
Operation Wetback of Eisenhower
“The Eisenhower mass deportation policy was tragic,” Alfonso Aguilar, of the American Principles Project’s Latino Partnership, said.
“Human rights were violated. People were moved to distant locations without food and water. There were many deaths, unnecessary deaths. Sometimes even U.S. citizens of Hispanic origin, of Mexican origin, were removed.”
He further said, “It was a travesty. It was terrible. Immigrants were humiliated. So, to say it’s a success story is ridiculous. It shows that Mr. Trump doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”
Also, estimates suggest that such an operation could cost between $315 billion to $967 billion and would require massive infrastructure, including the construction of large-scale detention camps.
Trump’s Other Plans
He proposes to end birthright citizenship for children born in the U.S. to undocumented parents, a move that would require a constitutional amendment and can face “a mountain of opposition,” according to NBC News.
Trump intends to reintroduce travel bans on certain countries, particularly those with Muslim-majority populations, similar to policies enacted during his previous term. He also intends to ban refugees from Gaza.
He plans to station thousands of troops at the southern border to prevent illegal crossings, utilising the Insurrection Act of 1807 to authorise military involvement in immigration enforcement.
The Trump administration’s approach sparked debate, raising questions about the nation’s identity and the contributions of immigrants throughout American history.
Contributions of Immigrants
Immigrants have been helpful, throughout history, in building the United States, and contributing to its economic growth, cultural diversity, and global influence.
From constructing railroads to driving industrialisation, immigrant labour has been a cornerstone of American development.
Hollywood’s rise to prominence in the entertainment industry was largely influenced by immigrants who brought diverse storytelling and artistic talents, shaping it into a global cultural powerhouse.
In 2022 alone, undocumented immigrant households paid $46.8 billion in federal taxes and $29.3 billion in state and local taxes. Undocumented immigrants also contributed $22.6 billion to Social Security and $5.7 billion to Medicare, according to the American Immigration Council.
Number of Immigrants
Various factors have fuelled the immigration crisis in the U.S. It includes economic disparities, political instability, and violence in home countries which compel individuals to seek better opportunities and safety.
As of recent estimates, approximately 11 million undocumented immigrants live in the United States, according to the American Immigration Council.
The majority of unauthorised immigrants in the U.S. come from Mexico, with approximately 4.81 million individuals. Other countries of origin include Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras which reflects broader migration patterns from Central America.
US Crime Rates
A common misconception is that illegal immigrants contribute to higher crime rates. However, multiple studies have proved, time and again, that this is not the case.
Research by the National Institute of Justice found that undocumented immigrants are arrested at lower rates than native-born U.S. citizens for various offenses.
In addition to that, U.S.-born citizens are over twice as likely to be arrested for violent crimes, 2.5 times for drug crimes, and over four times for property crimes compared to unregistered immigrants.
READ ALSO: Trump Says His First Acts Will Include Deportations, Jan. 6 Pardons
The future of U.S. immigration policy remains contentious. Balancing border security with humanitarian considerations and the economic benefits of immigration is a complex challenge.
Economic repercussions
Experts warn that Trump’s proposed policies could have severe economic and social repercussions.
According to the American Immigration Council, mass deportations could lead to labour shortages in sectors heavily reliant on immigrant labour, such as agriculture and construction, potentially shrinking the GDP by 4.2-6.8 percent.
The establishment of large detention camps and the potential separation of families raise significant human rights and ethical issues.
Many of the proposed measures, including ending birthright citizenship, would face substantial legal hurdles and require constitutional amendments or significant legislative changes.
For now, Trump is going to decide the future of immigrants, after some time, the latter will determine the fate of the former.