In a recent interview, former President Donald Trump revealed that local police will play a pivotal role in his proposed mass deportation of immigrants if he is re-elected.
What Happened: Trump, in an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity on Thursday, emphasized the importance of local law enforcement in implementing his mass deportation plan for immigrants who entered the U.S. illegally.
“We have to deport a lot of people, and they have to start immediately,” Trump stated. “We have no choice, and the way you do it is your local police.”
He also promised to grant police officers immunity to enable them to pursue illegal immigrants, asserting that local police are best positioned to identify and apprehend migrants for deportation.
Trump has previously pledged to execute the most extensive deportation operation in decades if re-elected, drawing parallels to the Eisenhower administration’s “Operation Wetback.”
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The Biden campaign has condemned this proposal as “racist, un-American, and ineffective.”
Trump’s focus on immigration has been a recurring theme in his campaign for the upcoming presidential election. During his recent visit to the border, he attributed the surge in migrants and related violence to President Joe Biden‘s policies.
Why It Matters: Trump’s stance on immigration has been a consistent feature of his political platform. In a rally in Florida in 2023, he had also promised to implement an expanded travel ban to prevent potential terrorist attacks in the U.S. if re-elected. He further pledged to initiate the "largest domestic deportation operation in American history" if he were to be re-elected.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) had earlier announced in January that Trump would initiate “mass deportations” on his inauguration day if re-elected. A CNN-commissioned poll in February also indicated that 89% of respondents believed Trump would detain and deport millions of undocumented immigrants if re-elected.
The issue of immigration has been a contentious topic in the 2024 presidential election. Business magnate Elon Musk recently expressed concern about the impact of the continued influx of illegal immigrants into the U.S., warning that it could overwhelm essential services.
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