President-elect Trump intends to eliminate birthright citizenship and deport both undocumented immigrants and their American family members.
President-elect Donald Trump has detailed his immigration plans, which include mass deportations—a central promise of his campaign.
In his first post-re-election television interview, he announced his intention to end birthright citizenship and deport families with mixed immigration statuses.
Trump had campaigned on the promise of initiating “the largest deportation operation in American history.” He stated that deportations will begin with undocumented immigrants who have criminal records, followed by those without criminal records.
“Millions of people are here illegally; they will be removed. We must expel criminals from our country,” he told Meet the Press moderator Kristen Welker, asserting that the high crime rate, partly attributed to illegal immigrants, has made the US “a mess.”
Welker questioned Trump about the fate of families with mixed immigration statuses—for example, parents who entered the country illegally but whose children were born in the US. The Center for Migration Studies estimates 4.7 million such households exist. Trump stated that these families may be deported together, though those with legal status would have the option to remain in the US.
“I don’t want to separate families. The only way to avoid this is to keep them together and deport them. We’ll return the entire family humanely to their country of origin,” he explained.
Trump also reaffirmed his commitment to ending birthright citizenship, a right guaranteed by the 14th Amendment, which grants citizenship to anyone born within US borders.
“We must abolish it; it’s absurd,” he stated, indicating he would use executive action if needed to circumvent the 14th Amendment. According to the Wall Street Journal, his transition team is drafting several versions of such an order, anticipating potential legal challenges.
Trump suggested that “dreamers,” undocumented immigrants brought to the US as children, might be allowed to remain, promising to collaborate with legislators to achieve this.
Trump has appointed two hardline immigration officials to key positions. Kristi Noem will lead the Department of Homeland Security, and Tom Homan will serve as Trump’s “border czar.” Trump stated they will work together to secure the border and “make America safe again.”