President-elect Donald Trump confirmed on Monday that he intends to declare a national emergency on border security and deploy the U.S. military to carry out a mass deportation of undocumented migrants.
Immigration was a central issue during his election campaign, with Trump promising to deport millions and secure the U.S.-Mexico border after a surge in illegal crossings during President Joe Biden’s administration.
On his social media platform Truth Social, Trump shared a post from a conservative activist that claimed the president-elect was “prepared to declare a national emergency and will use military assets to reverse the Biden invasion through a mass deportation program.”
Alongside the repost, Trump commented, “True!”
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Trump made a remarkable comeback to the presidency on November 5, defeating Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris.
In his announcements, Trump has named a cabinet featuring immigration hardliners, including former Immigration and Customs Enforcement acting chief Tom Homan as his “border czar.” Homan, who spoke at the Republican National Convention in July, told supporters: “I got a message to the millions of illegal immigrants that Joe Biden’s released in our country: You better start packing now.”
Authorities estimate that about 11 million people are living in the United States illegally. Trump’s deportation plan is expected to directly affect around 20 million families. While the U.S. government has struggled for years to manage its southern border with Mexico, Trump has fueled concerns by claiming that an “invasion” is underway, carried out by migrants he accuses of being a threat to Americans.
During his campaign, Trump frequently criticized undocumented immigrants, using inflammatory rhetoric about foreigners who “poison the blood” of the United States and misrepresenting immigration statistics and policies.
Though Trump has not provided detailed plans for his immigration crackdown, he repeatedly vowed during his campaign to invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to expedite deportations.
Critics argue that the law is outdated, citing its most recent use during World War II to detain Japanese-Americans in internment camps without due process.
The number of U.S. border patrol encounters with migrants illegally crossing from Mexico is now on par with 2020, the last year of Trump’s first term, after peaking at a record 250,000 in December 2023.
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