Immigration and Homeland Security

The selection of President-Elect Trump’s Border Czar and secretaries of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice strongly signal the President-Elect’s determination to tighten enforcement of illegal migration across the southern U.S. border. These nominees have voiced commitments to Trump’s stated desire to begin mass deportations of undocumented immigrants on Day One of his administration and secure the border.

As in all other areas of the Trump team’s policy priorities, the Transition team has indicated that hundreds of executive orders laying the legal groundwork for deportations and border enhancements are ready to file as soon as Trump is inaugurated. However, anticipated legal challenges could slow or otherwise impede these orders.

Named nominees on the Homeland Security portfolio, particularly former director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Tom Homan, has detailed his willingness to enlist members of the U.S. military to assist with the border and deportations. Homan has been a frequent commentator through the Biden Administration and as a Trump campaign surrogate. He has stated that he would focus first on immigrants who are imprisoned or evading the law, though immigration advocates anticipate the next phase could include workplace raids.

Announced Nominees by President-Elect Trump

• Border Czar, Tom Homan, former Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the Department of Homeland Security
• Secretary of Homeland Security, Gov. Kristi Noem, current governor of South Dakota
• Deputy Attorney General, Todd Blanche, former personal attorney to President-Elect Trump

Policy Objectives

• National Security and counterterrorism efforts: Prioritized identifying and disrupting domestic and foreign terror threats, including combating “radical Islamic terrorism;
• Cybersecurity Enhancements: Expanded DHS efforts to protect critical infrastructure from cyberattacks, emphasizing election security and private-sector collaboration;
• Improved Disaster Response: DHS, through FEMA, coordinated responses to natural disasters such as hurricanes and wildfires during Trump’s term; and
• Immigration Agenda: President-elect Donald Trump’s proposed immigration agenda for his upcoming term focuses on strict enforcement and significant policy changes.

Key elements of the president-elect’s plan include mass deportations, ending birthright citizenship, terminating protection programs, restricting asylum and refugees, and travel bans.

• Mass Deportations: Trump has proposed deporting up to 20 million undocumented immigrants. He has mentioned reintroducing cooperation between federal and local authorities, similar to policies from the Eisenhower administration, to facilitate this effort.
• Ending Birthright Citizenship: He plans to eliminate automatic citizenship for children born in the U.S. to non-citizen parents.
• Terminating Protection Programs: Trump aims to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS), Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), and other humanitarian parole programs, impacting over a million individuals currently protected under these initiatives.
• Restricting Asylum and Refugees: He proposes suspending the refugee resettlement program entirely and tightening asylum processes, requiring asylum seekers to wait outside the U.S. for case resolution.
• Invoking the Alien Enemies Act: He has expressed plans to use this centuries-old law to deport gang members and drug cartel affiliates, though this approach may face legal challenges.
• Reinstating Travel Bans: Trump has suggested bringing back restrictions targeting several predominantly Muslim-majority countries, similar to his first-term policies.

These proposals represent a continuation of his first-term immigration policies, with potentially significant impacts on immigrant communities and U.S. labor markets.

President-elect Donald Trump’s plan for mass deportations aims to remove millions of undocumented immigrants from the U.S., with estimates as high as 20 million. This initiative represents a significant escalation from his first term’s immigration policies. Key aspects include:

Operational details

Collaboration with Local Law Enforcement: Trump plans to reintroduce a model from the 1950s (under the Eisenhower administration) where local and state law enforcement actively partnered with federal immigration authorities to identify and deport undocumented individuals.​

Expanded Use of Expedited Removal: The plan emphasizes “expedited removal,” a process allowing immigration officers to deport individuals without a court hearing if they cannot prove lawful status and meet certain criteria.​

Increased Federal Resources: Trump has pledged to deploy additional resources to border states like Texas. He has promised to back these states with federal support instead of restraining their actions.​

Termination of Work Permits: Trump’s plan includes revoking work permits for undocumented workers, targeting those benefiting from temporary protections or parole programs introduced under the Biden administration.​

Challenges and Feasibility

Legal and Logistical Challenges: Experts argue that deporting millions is fraught with legal challenges, including due process rights and capacity limits of immigration courts. It would require significant expansions of detention facilities and personnel.​

Economic Impacts: Deporting millions of undocumented workers could disrupt industries heavily reliant on immigrant labor, such as agriculture, construction, and hospitality. For instance, immigrants constitute 40% of the construction workforce in Texas.​

Cost and Public Opinion: A mass deportation program could cost billions of dollars. Public opinion remains divided, with opposition from immigrant advocacy groups and some business leaders concerned about economic fallout.​