Since his inauguration on January 20, U.S. President Donald Trump has aimed to fulfill the promises he made to voters during his campaign, pledging to make America for Americans only. He committed to launching a major campaign to deport immigrants, the likes of which the United States has not seen in over 50 years. Indeed, he acted on his promises by issuing a series of executive orders aimed at reducing the flow of immigrants into the U.S., making it easier for the new administration to carry out deportations of illegal immigrants by broadening the scope of authority for relevant agencies, including the Department of Justice and its administration.
Multiple Actions
There have been numerous actions taken by President Donald Trump since he took office to successfully implement his plan to deport illegal immigrants from the United States, which can be outlined as follows:
- Ending the Use of the CBP One App: As part of his plan to address the rising number of immigrants arriving in the U.S., the new administration terminated the CBP One app, which allowed immigrants to enter the U.S. legally. This step effectively closed the door for those seeking to enter American territory, as the administration deemed the app an obstacle to organized entry into the U.S.
- Activating the Foreign Enemy Act: President Trump is expected to activate the Foreign Enemy Act to support his plan for deporting illegal immigrants from the U.S. Under this law, the president is permitted to detain and deport non-citizens from hostile countries to protect U.S. national security. This law dates back to 1798, when it was enacted by former President John Adams.
- Expanding the Scope of Expedited Removals: The new administration issued a new rule aimed at broadening expedited removals for immigrants, with the exception of those who cannot prove residency in the U.S. for more than two years. This decision followed new plans proposed by acting Secretary of Homeland Security Benjamin Hoffman, which aimed to expand the powers of immigration law enforcement for Justice Department agencies, with a warning that those who do not cooperate with the president’s immigration policies would be pursued and punished.
- Arresting Illegal Immigrants: Since Donald Trump’s inauguration, U.S. authorities have arrested about 1,000 undocumented immigrants in a single day as part of raids conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on the first day of his administration’s executive orders on immigration. Additionally, immigration agencies collaborated with local jails across the states to transfer over 300 detained individuals into federal custody. These steps reflect the new administration’s commitment to its campaign promises to restore security at the borders and enforce immigration laws.
- Deporting Illegal Immigrant Families: As part of Trump’s plan to deport illegal immigrants from the states, it is anticipated that the new administration will deport undocumented immigrant families, including parents of children born on U.S. soil after Trump’s executive order on his first day in office, which sought to end birthright citizenship. It is also expected that the government will no longer recognize citizenship for children born in the U.S. to illegal immigrants, alongside prohibiting birthright citizenship for children born to parents on tourist or temporary work visas or student visas.
- Suspending Entry for Migrants from the Southern Border: President Trump issued an executive order to suspend entry for migrants at the southern border. Consequently, he planned to send around 10,000 troops to the southern border, along with the Department of Defense sending approximately 1,500 soldiers to secure the U.S.-Mexico border. This led Mexico to construct large tents at the U.S. border and shelters in preparation for accommodating migrants being deported from the U.S.
- Ending the Humanitarian Parole Program: Trump decided to terminate the “Humanitarian Parole” program established by former President Joe Biden, which allowed migrants from Cuba, Nicaragua, Haiti, and Venezuela to enter the U.S. temporarily. This program enabled migrants from these four countries to travel directly to the U.S. provided they had financial sponsors, allowing participants to stay for up to two years while seeking legal permanent residence.
- Reaching a Safe Third Country Agreement: The Trump administration worked with Salvadoran authorities to formulate a asylum agreement, which includes the deportation of migrants from the U.S. to that small country. According to CBS, the Safe Third Country Agreement would allow U.S. immigration officials to deport migrants who are not citizens of El Salvador and deny their asylum requests made in the U.S. Thus, migrants would be required to apply for asylum in El Salvador, which would be classified as a safe third country.
- Closing Immigration Offices in Latin America: The Trump administration shut down processing offices in Latin America that were created by the Biden administration to provide migrants with legal immigration options. These offices in Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Guatemala allowed some migrants living in or passing through those countries to apply for programs enabling them to enter the U.S. legally. The new administration indicated that operations at these sites, known as “Safe Mobility Initiative Offices,” had been halted.
- Cooperating with the Colombian Government to Accommodate Migrants: As part of Trump’s plan to expel migrants from the U.S., the president sent two planes carrying deported Colombian migrants back to Colombia; however, Colombia rejected these flights. This situation angered Trump, who threatened to impose tariffs and significant penalties on Colombia for not cooperating on immigration matters, but Colombia quickly agreed to the president’s terms, accepting the deportation flights to avoid entering a trade war with the U.S.
Severe Damages
In conclusion, the deportation of illegal immigrants being carried out by President Donald Trump may significantly impact the U.S. economy due to the substantial disruptions that mass deportations can cause in vital sectors such as agriculture, pharmaceuticals, construction, and other industries that heavily rely on migrant labor. Additionally, the deportations will likely leave painful repercussions for employment and inflation in the United States.
