November 18, 2024 — U.S. President-elect Donald Trump confirmed Monday that he plans to declare a national emergency on border security and deploy the U.S. military to carry out a mass deportation of undocumented migrants.
Trump reposted a message on his Truth Social platform from a conservative activist claiming he was prepared to “use military assets to reverse the Biden invasion through a mass deportation program.” Trump added the comment “True!” to the post.
Trump’s transition spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt stated that the incoming administration will use “every federal and state power necessary” to launch the largest deportation campaign in U.S. history, targeting “illegal criminals, drug dealers, and human traffickers.”
The plan is expected to affect around 20 million families and could involve up to 11 million undocumented individuals. Trump has also named immigration hardliners to key positions, including former ICE acting director Tom Homan as “border czar” and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem as head of the Department of Homeland Security.
Critics, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), have vowed to challenge the plan in court. They have raised concerns about Trump’s stated intent to invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, a rarely used law last applied during World War II to intern Japanese-Americans.
The announcement marks a significant escalation of Trump’s immigration agenda, a central focus of his campaign, where he repeatedly promised to combat what he described as an “invasion” of migrants. Advocates warn that the policy could sow fear and disrupt communities across the country.
