As President-Elect Donald Trump prepares for his second term in office, immigration advocates across the country are gearing up for a potential resurgence of mass deportations and a return to harsh immigration policies reminiscent of his first term.
With the promise of mass deportations looming, advocacy groups are preparing for the legal battles and executive orders that could follow. “The terrain we are facing is dangerous and terrifying,” said Greisa Martínez Rosas, executive director of United We Dream Action, a prominent youth-led immigration advocacy group. “But we are ready to fight back.”
Among the expected policy shifts, advocates are particularly concerned about the potential reinstatement of the “Remain in Mexico” policy, which forces asylum seekers to wait in dangerous conditions while their cases are processed. Additionally, health-related policies like Title 42, which allowed the U.S. to expel migrants during the pandemic, may return.
Another focal point for advocates is the fate of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which Trump attempted to terminate during his first term. While Trump has recently suggested he is open to working with Democrats to provide a legal path for DACA recipients, the program’s future remains uncertain.
“We will remain calm, ensure our communities have the support they need, and litigate wherever possible if our rights are violated,” Martínez Rosas stated. “We are ready for the next four years.”
In response to the anticipated threats, grassroots organizations like CASA are organizing “Know Your Rights” events, educating immigrant communities on their legal rights in the face of potential enforcement actions from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). CASA has already conducted these workshops across Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.
“We’ve formed an immigrant defense coalition,” said Gustavo Torres, CASA’s executive director. “This coalition, made up of faith groups, businesses, community organizations, and others, is committed to standing by immigrant families and fighting against mass deportations.”
Trump’s mass deportation strategy is expected to be led by a team of trusted figures, including former Border Czar Tom Homan and White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, both of whom played pivotal roles in crafting the Trump-era “Zero Tolerance” policy. This policy, which resulted in the separation of thousands of families at the U.S.-Mexico border, remains one of the most controversial elements of the previous administration’s immigration enforcement approach.
“We expect the full weight of the federal government to be used to impose radical nationalist policies on the American public,” said Zachary Mueller, senior research director at America’s Voice, an immigrant advocacy group. “We are particularly concerned about the role of South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, Trump’s nominee for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in continuing or escalating these harsh policies.”
Advocates are also calling on Congress to withhold funding from DHS to prevent the expansion of mass detention and deportations. Angelica Salas, executive director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA), emphasized that her organization has been holding “Know Your Rights” presentations in community centers, schools, and houses of worship, while also offering legal support through a dedicated hotline.
“We are more organized, more resilient, and more united than ever before,” Salas said. “We are prepared to face the challenges ahead and to continue pushing for policies that protect immigrant families.”
As Trump’s second term looms, immigration advocates are bracing for a prolonged legal and political battle, one they vow to fight on behalf of vulnerable immigrant communities across the country.
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