Despite the array of harsh immigration policies implemented during Donald Trump’s first term—ranging from the expansion of detention centers to the controversial family separations at the border—the current GOP front-runner and his allies are now sketching out even more alarming plans in the event of his return to the White House.
Trump has vowed to revive President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s infamous “Operation Wetback,” a military-led initiative that involved massive roundups of approximately 1.3 million immigrants, regardless of their legal status, across the nation. These individuals were then crammed into trucks and transported to remote locations without access to basic necessities like food and water, resulting in tragic and needless deaths.
Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for the Trump campaign, stated to The Washington Post that upon Trump’s reinstatement as president, he intends to reinstate his previous policies while also implementing new crackdowns to target criminal smugglers worldwide. She warned undocumented immigrants not to grow complacent, as they would soon face deportation.
Trump (Credits: AP News)
To facilitate such a sweeping operation, Trump advisor Stephen Miller and other allies have proposed the construction of mass deportation camps. However, this is just the beginning of their plans. Miller, widely expected to resume his role as the foremost authority on “America First” immigration policy should Trump secure victory in the upcoming election, has outlined further strategies including large-scale raids and the establishment of throughput facilities.
“I don’t care what the hell happens in this world,” Miller asserted in a recent podcast with Charlie Kirk. “If President Trump gets reelected, the border’s going to be sealed, the military will be deployed, the National Guard will be activated, and the illegals are going home.”
Behind the scenes, Trump has been actively positioning immigration as a central issue for the upcoming general election. He has pressured Republican lawmakers to reject bipartisan border deals to prevent President Joe Biden from achieving success on the matter. Additionally, Trump has fueled tensions between Texas Governor Greg Abbott and the federal government over the installation of concertina wire along the Rio Grande section of the U.S.-Mexico border, further exacerbating the situation.
This concerted effort has proven successful, as evidenced by a January poll conducted by Harvard CAPS-Harris, which found that immigration now ranks as the top concern for U.S. voters, with 35 percent of respondents listing it as their primary issue.
“Trump is following the 20th-century dictator’s playbook of dehumanizing vulnerable groups to justify state cruelty,” observed Genevieve Nadeau, a former Department of Homeland Security lawyer, in a report by the nonpartisan organization Protect Democracy. “He’s backing up his rhetoric with threats to utilize extreme and unprecedented legal measures to pursue a deeply inhumane agenda. We should anticipate him following through on his promises.”
These aggressive measures stand in stark contrast to what both Republican and Democratic leaders argue would be most beneficial for their communities: allowing immigrants to legally work.
“Every migrant I speak to tells me they don’t want charity; they just want to work,” wrote Denver Mayor Mike Johnston in an MSNBC op-ed. “When I speak to conservative business leaders, they say the same thing: Newcomers should work; I have open jobs; let me hire them.”
