Donald J. Trump has a mandate for action, and if Republicans capture the House, in addition to the Senate it now has, he will have a pretty free hand to act. Even CNN’s Van Jones called Trump’s an “avalanche victory.”
He will be able to act on illegal immigration, which numbers as many as 25 million, according to CNN’s Jake Tapper, jacking the number up to a level used by Tucker Carlson. But when Carlson did it, it was a fear tactic.
The truth is, we don’t know (or we won’t be told) the actual number, other than it is more than 10 million.
Trump says he wants to expel them all.
He can’t.
It’s not impossible. It is highly impractical. It would require a vast army to find and arrest 10 million illegals, and a vast city to hold them while they await a hearing, to which they are entitled. That would require an army of immigration judges.
(Assuming Republicans do not change the law.)
Vice President-elect JD Vance says we can deport 1 million a year. I think that is wildly optimistic, but that would result in only 4 million during Trump’s four-year term. Not even half of the 10 million.
And I’m not even going to get into the law suits opponents will throw in his way.
Trump has offered no specifics on the mass deportation. There is no written plan, but this is what he told “60 Minutes”: “Let me tell you what it’s not going to be. First, it’s not going to be a mass sweep of neighborhoods. It’s not going to be building concentration camps. I’ve read it all. It’s ridiculous.”
How can you deport 10 million people without some kind of a mass sweep? Logically, you would start with workplace roundups at employers known for hiring illegals. We need a law to imprison, not just fine, such employers, because hiring illegals is illegal. Would Trump jail fellow capitalists?
I have been writing about illegal immigration for almost 20 years, and way back then a large majority of Americans, about two-thirds, opposed mass deportation.
They no longer do.
A recent ScrippsNews/Ipsos poll https://scripps.com/press-releases/scripps-news-ipsos-poll-reveals-a-majority-of-americans-support-mass-deportation-of-undocumented-immigrants/ found that 54% of Americans, including 25% of Democrats, approve of mass deportation.
An earlier poll by left-leaning Axios https://www.axios.com/2024/04/25/trump-biden-americans-illegal-immigration-poll found about the same. That is almost a complete reversal from a decade earlier.
An overwhelming majority, including 55% of Democrats, support restrictions on asylum.
A Harvard/Harris poll in 2017 https://harvardharrispoll.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Harvard-Harris-Poll-Deck-2.28.17-FINAL-1.pdf found that 80% of Americans oppose Sanctuary Cities. I doubt that number has decreased in the past few years.
Of course, some pro-illegal outlets dispute the findings. Let’s not argue over that. Let’s agree a large percentage of Americans approve, so that we can concentrate on how it would work, the arguments pro and con.
For background, let’s also agree the explosion of illegals can be laid at the feet of Joe Biden, whose pre-election remarks, such as “you should come,” and whose post-election actions, created it.
Pre-election, he self-righteously told the world America welcomes immigrants. He stupidly forgot to say America welcomes legal immigrants. By the time the caravans — denied early on by most of the liberal media — began arriving, wearing T-shirts appealing to Biden, it was too late, and his pleas to illegals not to come were ignored.
Firm border enforcement was created by Barack Obama, derisively called the “great deporter” by Open Border types. His work was continued by Trump, and then reversed by Biden. Look at the illegal explosion as soon as Biden took office. That he created the mess is indisputable.
As suggested above, border enforcement is not a right-wing issue, unless you think Obama is an agent of the right.
Here https://www.c-span.org/video/?c4719495/user-clip-barack-obama-illegal-immigration he talks about the need for enforcing the law.
Enforcing the law should not be controversial, nor is it racist.
Now for some Q and A.
What is the justification for deportation?
To uphold the law, and to protect the border.
Can we physically deport 10 million+ illegals?
For reasons explained above, we can’t in Trump’s four-year term. However, we can start with national security risks, illegals convicted of felonies in their home country, or ours. There should be little opposition by rational people to removing them.
We will have to separate families?
The native-born children of illegals are U.S. citizens. They can go with their parents, or remain here with legal immigrant family members. The family will make that choice. Every time a U.S. criminal is sent to jail, he is being “separated” from his family, and that “separation” is not a valid argument against incarceration.
Will deporting illegals harm the U.S. economy?
Only if it is immediate and mass, and that is unlikely.
What are the positive outcomes of mass deportation?
The very act of beginning to deport illegals sends the strongest possible message to others not to come here illegally. It would also create job opportunities for legal immigrants, and raise wages because many illegals accept less than legal wages. It would enhance national security.
What are the negative outcomes of mass deportation?
It would cost hundreds of billions to arrest, detain, and adjudicate millions of people. It could harm the economy.
What about people who came here illegally, but who have behaved themselves?
They would be the last people arrested, but their current good behavior doesn’t erase their past illegal entry. If they are employed, that is another violation of U.S. law.
Should there be exceptions to deportation?
Yes, the DACA people, who were brought here as children by their parents. They should be allowed to stay. As for the parents, I have proposed a statute of limitations on illegal entry, as we have a five-year statute of limitations on many crimes. Long-term residents with clean records would be allowed to stay. They would be offered a path to legalization, but not to citizenship. If they are barred from citizenship and voting, they cease to be political footballs.
Have you no humanity?
Yes, I do. But first, we are a nation. A nation has defined and defensible borders.
We are in a position to help some people, but not all. That would be impossible. The numbers are too great.
There are specific rules determining asylum status. https://stubykofsky.com/the-big-fat-asylum-fraud/ The vast majority of illegals do not qualify, and they know it.
People who seek refuge here must do what refugees have always done — fill out papers, take a number and wait their turn.
The tidal wave of illegals over the Biden term has been a disaster. Just ask New York Mayor Eric Adams. He once bragged about New York being a Sanctuary City. He now wails he leads a broke city, spending billions to feed and shelter thousands of uninvited guests.
Trump can’t end it. But he can start the stop.
Stu, I concur. I wish it could be coupled with vastly more legal immigration but that’s not likely with Trump.
I agree. I have said before that condoning illegal immigration — and the media conspiracy to NOT use the word “illegal” cast a pall over ALL immigrants.
Someone pointed out that the reason Kamala said 3 million houses are needed is because those 10-25 million illegals are living somewhere. Forget jobs, they are taking much-needed housing from citizens. Interesting that I don’t hear that discussed more often.
That is patently false. Because there’s a huge shortage of construction workers, materials costs have soared, & interest rates are still high, enough house aren’t being built. And many people are choosing to stay in their present abodes rather than moving up because they have a low interest rate on their mortgage and don’t want to pay a higher rate on another home.
Stop giving them free money and housing. Give them a 2 month warning and then cut them off. They made their way here they can make their way back.
Self deportation. That might work with the most recent arrivals. The ones here before the wave are not getting benefits. They work, illegally. And if we stop them from making money, they will leave.
As noted above, most Dems are in favor of immigration reform, despite what many Republicans think. We were all in favor of the immigration bill that Trump scuttled, for instance. Our parents were also immigrants, though they fought hard to become American citizens. We get it.
I personally have not seen any of the effects of said illegal immigrating, economic or otherwise, I don’t think. How would this affect my everyday life? It really doesn’t here in the East. And no, I don’t believe the housing shortage is impacted by this, as someone suggests above.
That said, and as Stu said, illegal Immigration is against the law and needs to be dealt with BY the law. They’re have been no serious immigration laws passed for two decades, by either Republican nor Democratic administrations. They are all at fault. Ask yourself why.
The current laws allow virtually anyone to apply for asylum. Those who do must, by law, be granted a hearing. Due to the shortage of personnel available to conduct said hearings, the wait is 4-5 years, during which these people can legally remain in the country. Either we spend the money to hire more Leole to expedite this process, or we change the laws. Take your pick.
You again make the case about something not affecting you PERSONALLY.
That is not the test. Personally, inflation did not affect me much, but it DID affect millions if Americans.
Yes, the asylum law must be changed because it is being abused. Will Dems agree to changes? Or will they falsely claim such reform is bigoted?
You are so out of touch. Look at New York City. They are bankrupting that city and causing a massive crime wave. It don’t affect you so screw everyone else. You prove everyday what a selfish lowlife you are.
Hispanics voted for Trump because he will close the border. Their jobs are on the line. As far as inflation goes.. buckle up Trump winning won’t make a dent in future inflation as we have $35 T in debt and we’re racking up $2 T more each year. Neither party has the balls to stop the spending.
The following comment was posted in response to the blog post from 2022, referenced in this blog post, about asylum seekers. It refers to open borders.
“Daniel says:
August 26, 2022 at 12:23 pm
This is what the people wanted. Biden ran on this and raising taxes. He also said he was getting rid of trumps American first policy. I would like to hear from the Biden voters how it’s working out for them. I know my standard of living has gone down dramatically since he took office.”
Voters weighed in on the subject earlier this week.
Once again you neglect to mention Trump’s CRUEL and INHUMANE policy of separating migrant families, even INFANTS from their parents. And you fail to mention the absolute TERROR that Trumps rhetoric has placed on even LEGAL immigrants, like Haitians or those in mixed status households. SHAMEFUL.
Hey 1 trick pony, AGAIN you neglect to mention U.S. citizens murdered, raped and robbed by illegals.
Try to pay attention to the theme of each column.
Immigrants (legal & illegal) commit crimes at a lesser rate than American citizens. Talk about demonizing people.
That is true but they DO commit crimes. At a lower rate, but not “none.”
The typical immigrant is not a criminal, aside from illegal entry. Trump will start with the worst of the worst. As I have written before, he can’t get rid of 10 million in 4 years.
So impractical? Obama deported 5.7 million illegals during his term. Google homeland security deportations from 2009 to 2017.Add them up, face the music. C’mon, man. Just because you want to do it does not mean it cannot be done. Back up your premise, please.
Correct me if I’m wrong, Lou — Most of Obama’s deportations were at the border. Trump’s will have to be dug out of America’s interior.
They may be bankrupting NYC, but they are most definitely NOT behind a ‘massive crime you’ you nativist bigot. Immigrants (legal & illegal) commit crimes at a LOWER RATE than American citizens and that is a PROVEN FACT. Dannyboy you are so dumb you don’t know your ass from a hole in the ground!!!
Thank you again Stu for sharing your reasoned thoughts on this. I suppose in some way, the entire stinking mess can be summed up as a Gordian Knot tied for us by the politicians from both major parties over these past few decades.
Both sides share the blame and use it for a political football.