According to a report by the New York Times, if Donald Trump were to be re-elected in 2024, he would expand his first-term immigration crackdown to include sweeping roundups of undocumented individuals. These individuals would be held in large camps while awaiting deportation.
The report, which was based on interviews with several advisers, including Stephen Miller, described Trump’s plans as “an assault on immigration on a scale unseen in modern American history.” It also stated that the aim would be to deport millions of people annually, including those who have been settled in the United States for decades.
The former President, who is the leading contender for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, would resurrect his ban on the entry of individuals from certain Muslim-majority countries. Additionally, he would revive other hardline policies, such as rejecting asylum claims based on assertions that migrants carry infectious diseases.
To aid in sweeping roundups of undocumented individuals, Trump would reassign federal agents, deputize local police, and volunteer National Guard troops from Republican-run states. He also plans to build huge camps to hold detainees while their cases are processed.
Furthermore, Trump would look to redirect Pentagon funds to underwrite the massive operation if Congress refused. He 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 report also referenced the “Eisenhower model” as a 1954 campaign – Operation Wetback – to detain and expel Mexican immigrants.
(Reporting by Jonathan Landay; Editing by Daniel Wallis)
