Us President-elect Donald Trump plans mass deportation, ends citizenship by birth.
However he also intends to sign an executive order ending birthright citizenship on his first day in office.
During an interview broadcast Sunday on NBC’s Meet the Press, Trump outlined his plans on mass deportation of illegal immigration, which he aims to designate as a national emergency after assuming office on January 20.
Reuters reports that the Department of Homeland Security estimates more than 11 million individuals were living in the U.S. without legal status as of January 2022, a number that is likely higher now.
Trump reiterates his commitment to deport all individuals without legal status, saying, “I believe it has to be done. It’s a very difficult task, but there are rules, regulations, and laws that must be followed.”
Trump, while focusing on strict enforcement, expressed openness to discussing protections for “Dreamers,” individuals brought to the U.S. illegally as children.
In his first term, he sought to terminate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which shields this group from deportation, but the Supreme Court prevented the effort.
The policy granting citizenship to anyone born on U.S. soil, regardless of their parents’ immigration status, stems from the 14th Amendment of the Constitution and was upheld by an 1898 Supreme Court decision. However, Trump suggested, “We may need to take this issue back to the people.”
He then recognized that his proposal could face legal obstacles and hinted that implementing it might necessitate a constitutional amendment.
The American Immigration Council estimates that deporting all unauthorized immigrants would cost $88 billion per year. To support intensified immigration enforcement, Trump’s team, including incoming border chief Tom Homan, has urged Congress to allocate substantial additional funding.
