President-elect Trump announced on Monday that he intends to declare a national emergency and deploy the U.S. military for widespread deportations of undocumented immigrants.
Deporting millions of undocumented immigrants was a key promise during Trump’s 2024 campaign. His team is already planning how to implement this agenda. This announcement was confirmed through a Truth Social post early Monday, marking the first time he revealed specific plans to execute this controversial policy.
Tom Fitton, president of the conservative organization Judicial Watch, stated earlier this month on Truth Social that Trump was “ready to declare a national emergency and utilize military resources to implement a mass deportation plan.” Trump affirmed Fitton’s statement on Monday by reposting it with the caption, “TRUE!!”
The U.S. has an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants, and the proposed mass deportations could affect around 20 million families nationwide. Immigration advocates and attorneys are preparing legal challenges.
According to reports, Trump’s team is focusing on drafting executive orders that can withstand legal tests, learning from the failures of the Muslim ban during his first term. The plan also involves ending a parole program for undocumented immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.
Trump has started to assemble his Cabinet, favoring individuals with strict immigration stances. Among them is Tom Homan, the former acting head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), who has been named “border czar.”
Additionally, Trump nominated South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem to head the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
