Trump Confirms Plan to Use Military for Deportations
In a social media post Monday morning, US Pres.-elect Donald Trump appeared to confirm that he plans to utilize a national emergency declaration and the military to conduct mass deportations of unauthorized immigrants, replying 'TRUE' to a Conservative activist claiming to have heard such reports...
Facts
- In a social media post Monday morning, US Pres.-elect Donald Trump appeared to confirm that he plans to utilize a national emergency declaration and the military to conduct mass deportations of unauthorized immigrants, replying 'TRUE' to a Conservative activist claiming to have heard such reports.[1]
- The US military has historically helped with immigration enforcement, but usually just in a logistical capacity for border security. Trump is reportedly expected to face both legal and budgetary obstacles in pursuit of his plans.[2]
- Trump has previously suggested using the 18th-century Alien Enemies Act to deport undocumented gang members and drug dealers, though that proposal is reportedly questionable since the law only allows the military to deport foreign nationals from countries the US is actively at war with.[2]
- The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 also prohibits the military from being used to enforce domestic policy, though that does not include the National Guard.[3][4]
- Pro-immigration groups are reportedly preparing for Trump's deportation program, and sources close to the Trump campaign have reportedly claimed that Trump will focus on unauthorized Chinese immigrants first. 78K Chinese migrants crossed the southern border this year, up from 27K in 2022.[2][5]
Sources: [1]Washington Post, [2]The Hill, [3]New York Post, [4]FOX News and [5]NBC.
Narratives
- Republican narrative, as provided by Townhall. The American people, as well as legal immigrants, have nothing to fear concerning this policy. After staggering numbers of illegal migrants have poured into the country, the only way Trump can address the issue is with the help of the military. Instead of calling him racist for enforcing immigration law, Trump's critics should spend some time thinking about the benefits of law and order.
- Democratic narrative, as provided by New York Times. Trump's inhumane deportation plan is both implausible and economically harmful. With an estimated 11M undocumented immigrants in the country, it would cost tens of billions of dollars per year over ten years, not to mention the legal backlogs. It would also destroy working-class towns where immigrants take the jobs that others often reject. Removing this labor force risks business closures, job losses, and regional economic decline.
