Let’s go in parts. Trump promises mass deportations of migrants. Some basic questions are: which migrants, what profiles, with what means, in how long, against whom will this initiative push?
– Which migrants? Trump’s reference does not specify whether they are settled immigrants, recently apprehended migrants, those who have already entered and have already built family or legal ties, or those who are in this process. Deporting someone who is captured at the border is relatively easy since all you have to do is comply with the rule regarding deportation, taking into account the deep contempt that is identified for refugees. The complex thing is to deport someone who is in a position to dispute their stay. For each immigrant who accepts the challenge of legally fighting for their stay, there will be a greater investment of resources in the administration. trumpist.
– What profiles? Thousands of immigrants who have managed to raise their level of school education, from basic to university and postgraduate levels, are an immigration profile that even Trump himself has offered to make room for, because he knows that this population is accepted in public opinion, even among the republicans themselves. Therefore, it will not deport all immigrants.
– With what means? His first administration was dedicated to increasing support for the policy of containment and repression at the border and to a much lesser extent to strengthening the infrastructure for the administration. In other words, fulfilling his promise involves training more immigration administrators and fewer repression groups. An immigration system as slow, outdated and dysfunctional as the current one is not capable of meeting the challenge of managing millions of cases.
– How long? Managing deportations “from within” requires an enormous investment of resources, while processing deportations at the border. The deportation times from the border have nothing to do with the deportations of settled immigrants.
– Against whom will you push your initiatives? Trump knows perfectly well that his promise of mass deportation collides head-on with the interests of broad sectors of private initiative, many of which operate and make profits thanks to the employment of illegal labor. Here a limit appears between desire and business interests.
