Donald Trump has stirred controversy once again with the announcement that he will carry out the largest deportation operation in American history if he is elected president in 2020. The Republican presidential frontrunner indicated this in an interview on the Fox News channel, where he stated that the proposal was to deport all of the illegal immigrants that currently reside in the United States.
This announcement has shocked immigration advocates and civil rights organizations, who argue that the president cannot conduct such an operation without violating numerous laws. Trump has yet to provide details on how he intends to execute such a plan, and it has been stated that the proposal would face stiff resistance from the courts – since the deportation of illegal immigrants is generally opposed by the Supreme Court.
While deportation of undocumented immigrants is already a reality for many American households, the proposed plan by Trump would significantly expand the current operation. The proposal includes much tougher border security, increased use of Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, and even the possible deployment of the National Guard. Such a move would certainly cause a stir amongst the public due to the substantial investment in resources that would be required to carry out such a plan.
Nevertheless, Trump remains adamant about the idea, citing the need for a secure border. The plan is likely to have little impact on the actual number of illegal immigrants living in the US, since most of the individuals present in the country cannot be located and repatriated. Even so, those who oppose illegal immigration are hopeful that the plan will be a strong signal that the United States will not tolerate any more undocumented immigrants entering the country.
Whether or not Trump will be successful in actualizing the proposed measures depends heavily on the outcome of the presidential election in November. Until then, the issue will remain a hot button topic among both Republican and Democratic voters. Whatever the outcome, it is certain that the topic of immigration will remain a major debate topic for the foreseeable future.