United States President-elect Donald Trump has unveiled plans to deport all undocumented immigrants in the United States over his upcoming four-year term.
In an interview on NBC’s Meet the Press aired Sunday, Trump outlined his vision for a large-scale crackdown on illegal immigration, which he plans to declare a national emergency after taking office on January 20.
According to Reuters, the Department of Homeland Security estimated over 11 million people in the U.S. lacked legal status as of January 2022—a figure that is likely higher today.
Trump expressed firm commitment to removing all unauthorized immigrants, stating, “I think you have to do it. It’s a very tough thing to do. You know, you have rules, regulations, laws.” While focusing on enforcement, he indicated a willingness to negotiate protections for “Dreamers”—those brought to the U.S. illegally as children.
During his first term, Trump attempted to dismantle the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) programme, which provides deportation relief to this group, but was blocked by the Supreme Court.
Trump also plans to issue an executive order to end birthright citizenship on his first day in office. This policy, rooted in the 14th Amendment and upheld by an 1898 Supreme Court decision, grants citizenship to anyone born on U.S. soil regardless of their parents’ immigration status.
“We’ll maybe have to go back to the people,” he remarked, acknowledging potential legal challenges and suggesting a constitutional amendment might be necessary to achieve this.
Implementing these measures would require substantial funding. The American Immigration Council estimates the cost of deporting all undocumented immigrants at $88 billion annually. Trump’s team, including incoming border czar Tom Homan, has urged Congress to significantly increase funding for immigration enforcement efforts.
