Special Poll
Moments after being sworn in for his second term, Donald Trump announced he would declare a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border and outlined plans to sign 10 executive orders aimed at intensifying efforts against illegal immigration. These actions include some of Trump’s boldest measures, such as the deportation of millions and an attempt to end birthright citizenship. Although these measures will not take immediate effect and are expected to face legal challenges, Trump’s declaration could potentially leverage military support to reinforce immigration enforcement—a significant departure from traditional domestic use of the U.S. military.
Before his swearing-in, Trump’s team detailed these executive orders to reporters. The proposed measures include designating notorious cartels and gangs as foreign terrorist organizations, reinstating the “Remain in Mexico” policy for asylum seekers, seeking an end to birthright citizenship for children born to undocumented immigrants in the U.S., and suspending refugee resettlements while accelerating the removal of ineligible asylum seekers. Additionally, Trump plans to deploy troops, including the National Guard, to the southern border.
The extensive deportation strategy Trump advocates would necessitate organized raids, construction of new detention facilities, additional immigration judges, and increased deportation flights. This operation would depend not only on executive and congressional support but likely on Supreme Court approval, given the conservative leanings of the current court and Congress.
Local and state law enforcement’s cooperation will vary, with Republican-led states indicating support for the raids, while Democratic-led states have expressed opposition. Moreover, any successful implementation of Trump’s immigration agenda would require significantly more funding than currently available.
It’s important to note that the concept of birthright citizenship, established by the Supreme Court in the Wong Kim Ark case of 1898, affirms that individuals born in the U.S. are American citizens per the 14th Amendment. This principle has facilitated the demographic transformation of the U.S., with the children and grandchildren of immigrants from Asia and Latin America becoming one of the fastest-growing demographic groups in the nation.
Currently, the U.S. is home to an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants, not including their U.S.-born children or the additional millions potentially seeking entry or those eligible for Temporary Protected Status. Trump’s aggressive deportation plan, if fully enacted, could extend the existing immigration court case backlog from a projected four years to sixteen or more.
According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, over 271,000 deportations were carried out last fiscal year, the highest in nearly a decade. However, maintaining this record pace would still require around four decades to deport all 11 million undocumented individuals present in the U.S. today.
The Trump administration is poised to significantly overhaul the deportation process, potentially collaborating with a GOP-controlled Congress to circumvent existing immigration laws. Stephen Miller, a key policy advisor, has discussed strategies with Congress members to bypass legislative hurdles and enforce strict immigration controls.
Public opinion on these policies is mixed. An Axios-Ipsos poll indicates that while a majority of Americans support deporting illegal immigrants, support decreases sharply when specific tactics such as using military forces for detentions or family separations are mentioned.