Former US President Donald Trump is reportedly planning to expand his immigration crackdown if he is re-elected in 2024. According to the New York Times, Trump’s second-term plans include conducting sweeping roundups of undocumented individuals who would be held in large camps until they are deported. The report is based on interviews with several advisers, including Stephen Miller, who was in charge of Trump’s first-term immigration policies.
The New York Times describes Trump’s proposed actions as “an assault on immigration on a scale unseen in modern American history.” The plan aims to deport millions of people annually, including those who have been living in the United States for decades. Additionally, Trump plans to reinstate his ban on individuals from certain Muslim-majority countries.
Other hardline policies that Trump would revive include rejecting asylum claims based on assertions that migrants carry infectious diseases, in addition to the COVID-19 era asylum rejections. The newspaper also states that Trump intends to expedite deportations by expanding a form of removal that does not require due process hearings.
To assist in the roundups, Trump plans to reassign federal agents and deputize local police and National Guard troops provided by Republican-run states. The report also mentions the construction of large camps to hold detainees while their cases are processed before deportation. If Congress refuses to fund this operation, Trump intends to redirect Pentagon funds, similar to what he did with his border wall during his first term.
The New York Times notes that Trump hinted at this plan during a September rally in Iowa, where he mentioned conducting “the largest domestic deportation operation in American history” based on the “Eisenhower model.” The reference is to a 1954 campaign called Operation Wetback, which detained and expelled Mexican immigrants.
It is important to note that these plans are contingent on Trump being re-elected in 2024. As of now, he is considered the leading contender for the Republican presidential nomination.
