Donald Trump threatens 'largest deportation' drive in US history
Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trump raises his fist from the stage on Day 4 of the Republican National Convention (RNC), at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US., July 18, 2024. PHOTO:REUTERS/
Former US President Donald Trump has pledged to carry out the "largest deportation operation in US history" if re-elected, emphasising a hardline stance on immigration.
Speaking at a rally in Freeland, Michigan on Friday, Trump said, “On day one, we will begin the largest domestic deportation operation in American history.”
He compared his plan to President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s 1950s deportation program but claimed his would be even larger.
Trump suggested that crime rates are falling in Central American countries like El Salvador because “they’re sending their murderers to the United States.” He outlined a strategy involving mass roundups of undocumented migrants, including raids in major cities and the creation of extensive detention camps along the southern border.
Former White House adviser Stephen Miller confirmed that these plans would be implemented immediately if Trump returns to office.
Earlier, Trump also stated in a Time magazine interview that speed is critical, aiming to swiftly deport the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants in the US.
To bypass legal protections for asylum seekers, Trump plans to invoke the 1798 Alien Enemies Act, allowing for the summary deportation of non-citizens from foreign enemy countries. Immigration experts warn that such actions could lead to the wrongful deportation of US citizens.
David Leopold, former president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, stressed the seriousness of Trump’s intentions.
“This time we need to take Trump at his word,” he said.
The mass deportation plan is expected to be a central focus of Trump’s potential second term, reflecting his vision for a more radical administration bolstered by a right-leaning judiciary.