With the newly elected presidency comes new policies that stir up debate on how fair, legal, and ethical they are to US citizens during this time of change. Of the 26 executive orders signed during his first day in office, most, if not all, of President Trump’s orders have sparked controversy and mixed feelings in the United States. One order with arguably the most significant controversy is Trump’s plan on deportation, and how he plans to enforce the policy change.
Before we go through Trump’s deportation plan, let’s start with the problem of deportation and immigration present in the US right now. USAFacts.com says 11 million unauthorized border encounters have happened in the past 5 years, and this is 78% more than in 2002-2004. While illegal immigration is the main priority, deportation also plays an important part in the process of preventing illegal aliens from entering and living in the US.
President Trump has made it clear that those who have committed crimes are a priority as this mass deportation comes to pass. While these policies intend to benefit US citizens, these policies also affect those who are not committing crimes. Instead, they are working in our communities, fleeing turmoil in their own countries or seeking reunification with family who have immigrated before them. While these immigrants have peaceful and innocent intentions, some are concerned that there is a strain put on our education system, healthcare, and social services due to the mass amounts of immigrants coming to the US. In response to this, the National Immigration Forum issued a “Statement for the Record” regarding the “Impact of Illegal Immigration on Social Services” Judiciary Hearing.
Issued on January 11, 2024, the statement brings to light a group of immigrants that “do not comfortably fit under the umbrella of ‘illegal’ or unauthorized immigration.” It goes on to explain that Asylum seekers are an example of a demographic who is rightfully asking for protection in the U.S., and many of those people are in a state of limbo and will now be forced back into unsure, unsafe, and unstable circumstances because of the process of applying for permanent residency. Concerning the impact these immigrants have on social resources, the National Immigration Forum says that most immigrants (even those who are legal) are subject to yearslong waiting periods before qualifying for most aid. Those who are undocumented even shy away from even attempting to utilize social services for fear of deportation or fear of it stalling their application process for citizenship, and therefore do not put a significant pull on our resources.
When asked what effective alternatives there might be to the deportation of peaceful, asylum-seeking immigrants, Amy Ihde, who has hosted refugee families and is currently assisting in the settlement of a recently arrived refugee family in Washington State says “The best defense is a good offense. Deportation should be worst-case scenario. I don’t want to see resources thrown at the back end; I want to see a wholistic, robust and effective immigration system built from the front end. We don’t have that yet.” On the other hand, Ben Hart, an FMHS student says “Deportation when regulated can be a useful tool, however when out of control, it can become hysteria.”