Former President Donald Trump, whose firm anti-immigration stance remains central to his 2024 re-election bid, issued a forceful warning this week about his plans to expel hundreds of thousands of immigrants if he returns to the White House.
In a pointed interview with Fox News on Wednesday, Trump criticized two key Biden administration immigration programs and declared his intention to reverse them swiftly. “Get ready to leave because you’re going out real fast,” Trump warned, addressing over 1 million individuals who entered the U.S. through these initiatives.
As part of his broader immigration strategy, Trump has pledged to carry out mass deportations—a promise he made in his 2016 campaign, though his first term saw fewer than 350,000 deportations annually. This time, he is emphasizing a more aggressive approach, presenting the deportations as necessary to “restore law and order” at the U.S. southern border.
Trump Targets Biden’s Immigration Programs
The two programs Trump is targeting have been pivotal in reshaping how migrants approach U.S. border entry under President Joe Biden’s administration. One program, launched in January 2023, allows migrants to use the smartphone app CBP One to schedule official border crossings for asylum requests, eliminating the need to cross the border irregularly. Since its launch, around 813,000 migrants have used the app to secure entry into the U.S.
The second program, introduced in late 2022, offers humanitarian parole to up to 30,000 migrants monthly from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. Participants must secure financial sponsorship, pass background checks, and fly directly to the U.S., avoiding the southern border. Roughly 530,000 people have entered the country under this policy, gaining legal permission to stay for two years.
The Biden administration touts these programs as essential tools for managing border chaos, disrupting dangerous smuggling networks, and providing vetted individuals with safe, legal paths to asylum. However, Trump, who has made strict border control and deportation a cornerstone of his policy platform, has criticized the programs as bypassing traditional immigration laws. He argued that they incentivize illegal migration by allowing individuals who may not meet the traditional asylum criteria to enter the U.S.
Mass Deportation Plans in Trump’s Second Term
While Trump’s rhetoric on immigration is not new, his latest campaign adds renewed focus on the logistics of mass deportations. Working alongside his top immigration policy strategist, Stephen Miller, Trump has outlined plans to use wartime powers, partner with Republican governors, and even involve the military in deportation efforts if necessary.
But experts warn that executing large-scale deportations on such a massive scale would face significant legal, logistical, and financial challenges. Courts have historically limited presidential powers on immigration issues, and there is likely to be staunch opposition from both immigrant advocacy groups and Democratic-led states. Furthermore, the sheer number of individuals Trump seeks to deport far exceeds any action taken during his first term.
Despite these obstacles, Trump remains undeterred, presenting his plan as a critical element of restoring national security and sovereignty.
Critics and Legal Challenges
Republicans, who have long criticized Biden’s immigration policies, argue that the current administration has overstepped its bounds by allowing migrants who may not qualify for asylum to enter the U.S. under these programs. Several Republican-led states have already filed lawsuits challenging both initiatives, claiming they undermine established immigration law set by Congress.
On the other hand, immigration advocates accuse Trump of stoking fear within migrant communities. Esther Sung, legal director for the Justice Action Center, pointed out that legal battles have already surfaced, particularly over the humanitarian parole program. Her organization has represented American sponsors eager to protect the Biden administration’s initiative, which they view as a lifeline for migrants fleeing dire circumstances in their home countries.
“Mass deportations would devastate families and communities,” Sung stated. “The rhetoric being used is not only harmful but also unrealistic given the legal frameworks in place.”
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