The Blubber

Advisers to President-elect Donald Trump are drawing up plans to carry out his mass deportation pledge, including discussing how to pay for it and weighing a national emergency declaration that would allow the incoming administration to repurpose military assets to detain and remove migrants.

Donald Trump is planning to use military bases to detain migrants as part of a strategy to accelerate deportations.

Following Trump’s election victory, his team has been working on plans to carry out the mass deportations that were central to his campaign promises. According to sources cited by the Wall Street Journal, these plans involve declaring a national emergency at the border on Trump’s first day in office.

Trump’s advisors reportedly believe an emergency declaration would allow military bases to be used as detention centers and military planes for deportation flights. Additionally, it may enable reallocation of Pentagon funds toward constructing a border wall.

This approach aligns with Trump’s previous remarks about using military and National Guard troops to enforce deportations. He has pledged to conduct the "largest mass deportation in history," targeting around 11 million people living in the U.S. without legal status.

When questioned about funding, estimated at $968 billion by the American Immigration Council, Trump said there was “no price tag.” In an interview, he commented: “It’s not about a price tag… we have no choice. When people have committed crimes and drug lords have destroyed lives, they need to go back. They’re not staying here.”

In preparation, policy discussions began well before the election and have recently gained momentum. Proposed measures include loosening restrictions on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for immigrants without other criminal records and expediting cases through the courts.

Trump’s team is reportedly focused on the 1.3 million undocumented immigrants who already have final deportation orders, as well as those with criminal records or pending charges.

Additionally, Trump’s transition team is considering ending two programs established under Biden’s administration, which allowed over 1.3 million immigrants to enter the U.S. legally, potentially making them eligible for deportation if they haven’t yet received asylum.

Under these plans, migrants who entered through Biden’s CBP One and CHNV parole programs but haven’t been granted asylum could face deportation. CBP One, launched in January 2023, allows migrants to schedule appointments with immigration officials through an app, intended to reduce illegal crossings but criticized for potentially allowing criminals to enter the U.S.