President-elect Donald Trump confirmed on Monday his intent to declare a national emergency over border security and employ the U.S. military to execute a large-scale deportation of undocumented migrants.
Immigration was a focal point of Trump’s campaign, during which he pledged to deport millions of migrants and secure the U.S.-Mexico border following a surge in illegal crossings during President Joe Biden’s administration.
On his Truth Social platform, Trump endorsed a post from a conservative activist stating that he was “prepared to declare a national emergency and will use military assets to reverse the Biden invasion through a mass deportation program.” Trump added his own affirmation, commenting, “True!”
Trump’s return to the presidency was marked by a victory over Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris in the November 5 election. He has since begun assembling a cabinet dominated by immigration hardliners, including appointing former Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) acting chief Tom Homan as his “border czar.”
Homan, speaking at the Republican National Convention in July, warned undocumented migrants, “I got a message to the millions of illegal immigrants that Joe Biden’s released in our country: You better start packing now.”
With an estimated 11 million undocumented people in the United States, Trump’s proposed deportation efforts could affect roughly 20 million families. While the U.S. has long faced challenges in managing its southern border, Trump has heightened concerns by framing the situation as an “invasion” by migrants, whom he claims pose a threat to public safety.
Throughout his campaign, Trump used inflammatory language, accusing undocumented immigrants of “poisoning the blood” of the nation and frequently misrepresenting immigration statistics. He also promised to invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to expedite deportations, though critics argue the law is antiquated and note its controversial use during World War II to intern Japanese-Americans without due process.
The number of U.S. Border Patrol encounters with migrants crossing illegally from Mexico is now comparable to 2020 levels, the final year of Trump’s previous term, following a record high of 250,000 encounters in December 2023.
