As President-elect Trump prepares to take office Monday, his promise of “the greatest mass deportation program in history” is raising questions about how such a massive government operation would work and what it might cost taxpayers.
Immigration lawyer Peter Ashman of Las Vegas points to the sheer scale of the challenge.
“Twenty million is a pretty big number and I don’t really know that there’s enough money in the U.S. budget to pay for the deportation of 20 million people,” he tells Steve Sebelius of KTNV. “So, I don’t think that’s realistic.”
Recent polls show many Americans support stronger immigration enforcement. A Scripps News poll found 54% of voters back mass deportations, while a Marquette Law School survey showed 58% in favor.
However, that support drops to 40% when asked about deporting immigrants who have been here many years, hold jobs, and have clean records.
Trump and his supporters stress they want to encourage legal immigration while cracking down on those who enter the country unlawfully.
The president-elect has shown flexibility on some issues – backing skilled worker visas and suggesting openness to accommodating “DREAMers” brought here as children.
But questions remain about exactly how a deportation program would work. Local authorities and immigration experts say the government could start with easier targets like those who have committed violent crimes and are already in the system.
The economic impact of mass deportations is another concern.
Athar Haseebullah, who leads the ACLU of Nevada, notes that undocumented immigrants paid $500 million in state taxes in 2022 alone. “When we look at the tax revenue alone, those are astronomical sums of money that are not replaceable,” he says.
Congress is already taking action.
Last week, the House passed the Laken Riley Act, named for a woman killed by an illegal immigrant. The bill would let federal agents arrest illegal immigrants for state crimes like shoplifting.
It would also allow states to sue the federal government over crimes committed by immigrants on immigration parole or those ordered deported.
Local immigration attorneys are advising their clients to prepare. They recommend:
- Organizing important documents like birth certificates and property deeds
- Keeping a list of needed medications
- Setting up legal arrangements for children’s care if parents are detained
- Getting proper legal advice since immigration law is complex
The debate touches many Nevada communities. As UNLV law professor Michael Kagan puts it, “If you have walked 20 feet, you have passed an immigrant in Las Vegas.”
Previous attempts at immigration reform have struggled in Congress.
During George W. Bush’s presidency, a guest worker program failed to pass. In 2013, a bipartisan Senate bill died in the House. Last year, another two-party compromise fell apart after Republican criticism.
As Monday’s inauguration approaches, many questions remain about how Trump’s deportation promise will be carried out.
The incoming administration faces major challenges in balancing effective enforcement with practical and budget limitations – challenges that will test the government’s ability to implement such an ambitious program while maintaining fiscal responsibility.
The policy’s success may ultimately depend on finding ways to strengthen immigration enforcement without creating an expensive new bureaucracy or disrupting local economies that have come to rely on immigrant labor.
As the debate continues, both supporters and critics will be watching closely to see how the new administration handles these complex tradeoffs.
This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
