Just when undocumented immigrants in the U.S. thought they could finally put the cruel migration policy of family separation from Donald Trump’s first administration behind them, the president-elect has announced an even crueler plan for his second term.
Tom Homan, Donald Trump’s appointed “border czar,” has declared that parents living illegally in the U.S. face deportation, even if they have children born in the country. Speaking to The Washington Post, Mr. Homan revealed that families would be forced to make a difficult decision: leave the U.S. together or separate, with the child staying behind, The Daily Beast reported.
“The problem is, you knew you were illegal and you chose to have a child. So you put your family in this situation,” Homan said.
This approach is reminiscent of the policies implemented during Trump’s first term, which resulted in the separation of more than 4,000 children from their parents. Several hundred children are, to date, still not reunited with their parents.
Mr. Homan also announced his intention to reintroduce detention centers for families with children.
These facilities, which will include soft-sided tents, are part of the administration’s strategy, according to The Daily Beast.
Similar centers were closed by President Biden in 2021 after human rights advocates and doctors raised concerns about the harm caused to children.
Homan is expected to work closely with Kristi Noem, Trump’s pick for Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security and the current Republican governor of South Dakota. “We’re going to have to build shelters for families,” Homan said, adding that the exact number of beds needed would depend on future data.
“We have to show the American people that we can do this without being inhumane. We can’t lose the trust of the American people,” Mr. Homan stressed.
While Mr. Homan refrained from estimating the number of potential deportations, he made it clear that enforcement would not involve extensive raids or military intervention in neighborhoods. Instead, it would be a targeted campaign aimed primarily at migrants with criminal records, he said.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) criticized the proposed measures.
ACLU attorney Lee Gelernt told The Washington Post, “The incoming administration has refused to acknowledge the horrific damage it did to families and small children the first time around and seems determined to once again target families for gratuitous suffering.”
According to Gelernt, the public may have supported mass deportations in general but did not vote for the separation of families or unnecessary cruelty to children, The Daily Beast reported.
Homan’s plans are part of Trump’s broader immigration agenda, which includes ending birthright citizenship.
Mr. Trump intends to challenge the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees citizenship to anyone born in the United States. Children of diplomats are considered Americans regardless of the countries where they were born.
Mr. Homan’s proposals could give rise to appeals in the courts, potentially bringing the issue before the Republican-controlled Supreme Court, which has six conservative justices compared to three liberals.
Parents living illegally in the United States should start thinking about new strategies to protect their children in the event of deportation.
Under Donald Trump’s first administration, it was reported that many parents signed legal documents entrusting custody of their children to relatives or other trusted persons in the event of deportation. Others chose to deport themselves and their children, hoping to return after the MAGA wave subsided in four years’ time.
Source : The DailyBeast.