President-elect Donald Trump has promised mass deportation, with the specifics of the plan echoing elements of former President Barack Obama's immigration policies. The proposed measures align with the strategies historically employed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), with Tom Homan, a seasoned immigration law enforcement official, leading the charge as the appointed border czar.
While Trump's allies have suggested stringent actions to detain and deport undocumented individuals, the focus remains on targeting public safety and national security threats, a protocol consistent with previous administrations, including that of President Joe Biden.
Trump's plan includes reviving family detention, a practice criticized by immigrant advocates but previously expanded by Obama in response to a surge in families crossing the southern border.
Despite the rhetoric surrounding mass deportation causing fear within immigrant communities, the practical challenges of limited resources and personnel have hindered past administrations' deportation efforts.
During his first term, Trump deported over 1.5 million individuals, a figure lower than Obama's deportations during both terms. The current administration faces obstacles in deporting individuals with final removal orders, as many countries refuse to accept them or they have potential relief options within the immigration system.
Trump's team is evaluating regional capacity for housing migrants and considering constructing new detention facilities in metropolitan areas to address potential border surges. Additionally, they are exploring the use of a national emergency declaration to access Pentagon resources for expanding detention space.
Trump has expressed intentions to utilize the military for deportations, emphasizing adherence to legal boundaries while aiming to maximize military involvement in addressing illegal entries into the US.
