President-elect Donald Trump has confirmed plans to declare a national emergency over border security, deploying the US military for large-scale deportations of undocumented immigrants.
Trump in his campaign had vowed to deport millions of undocumented individuals and strengthen the US-Mexico border, citing record illegal crossings during President Joe Biden’s administration.
On his Truth Social platform, Trump reposted a conservative activist’s statement claiming he’d “declare a national emergency and use military assets to reverse the Biden invasion through a mass deportation program.”
Trump added, “True!”
This announcement follows his victory over Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris in the November 5 election.
Trump’s cabinet appointments reflect his immigration stance, including former ICE acting chief Tom Homan as “border czar.” Homan, a vocal Biden critic, addressed supporters at the Republican National Convention, saying, “To the millions of illegal immigrants Joe Biden let into this country: Start packing now.”
Approximately 11 million people live in the US without legal status, with Trump’s plan potentially impacting up to 20 million families.
Successive administrations have faced southern border challenges, but Trump has escalated rhetoric, describing the situation as an “invasion” by migrants threatening public safety.
During his campaign, Trump used inflammatory language, alleging undocumented immigrants “poison the blood” of the US and making misleading statements about immigration statistics and policy.
He proposed invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to expedite deportations, which critics argue is outdated and references its use during World War II to detain Japanese Americans without due process.
