US President-elect Donald Trump has declared his intention to deport all illegal Immigrants over his four-year term while seeking a deal to protect so-called “Dreamer” immigrants.
In a “Meet the Press with Kristen Welker” interview on NBC News, he shared his plans to deport illegal immigrants. On his first day in office, Trump plans to take executive action to attempt to end birthright citizenship, which currently grants citizenship to anyone born in the US regardless of their parents’ immigration status.
As a Republican securing a second term with promises of mass deportations, Trump plans to declare illegal immigration a national emergency on January 20. He intends to mobilize resources from the federal government for a comprehensive crackdown.
The US Department of Homeland Security reports that, as of January 2022, approximately 11 million immigrants were living in the US illegally, though today’s numbers are likely higher. During the NBC News interview, Welker asked Trump if he intended to deport anyone without legal status.
“I think you have to do it,” Trump replied. “It’s a very tough thing to do. You know, you have rules, regulations, laws.”
Legal Challenges and Constitutional Amendments
Trump expressed his desire to secure a deal to protect Dreamer immigrants, who were brought to the US illegally as children. Despite his efforts to terminate a program that offered these immigrants deportation relief and work permits during his 2017-2021 presidency, the Supreme Court thwarted these attempts.
Trump’s ambition to end birthright citizenship is expected to encounter legal challenges, as this right is rooted in a US Constitution amendment and upheld by an 1898 Supreme Court decision.
In a discussion with Welker, Trump mentioned that achieving this might require a constitutional amendment, a challenging process. “We’ll maybe have to go back to the people,” he said.
Tom Homan, Trump’s incoming border czar, and Stephen Miller, deputy chief of staff, indicated on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures” that Congress should significantly increase funding for immigration enforcement.
The American Immigration Council estimates that deporting all immigrants in the US illegally over more than a decade would cost $88 billion annually. Homan emphasized that this figure represents the minimum needed.
