President-elect Donald Trump confirmed on Monday his plan to declare a national emergency and deploy military resources to implement a sweeping mass deportation program.
The announcement was made on Truth Social, where Trump enthusiastically responded to a post from Tom Fitton, president of Judicial Watch, who shared details of the reported strategy.
“TRUE!!!” Trump wrote, resharing Fitton’s post that described the incoming administration’s intent to use military assets to address what it calls the “Biden invasion.” Trump has vowed that the initiative will commence on day one of his presidency.
Speaking about the plan, Trump stressed the critical nature of removing those who pose security and safety threats to the United States. “When people have killed and murdered, when drug lords have destroyed countries, and now they’re going to go back to those countries because they’re not staying here. There is no price tag,” he stated.
To lead this ambitious initiative, Trump announced that Tom Homan, former acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), will serve as his administration’s “border czar.” Homan, a vocal advocate for stricter immigration enforcement, outlined the operation’s priorities during an interview on Fox & Friends.
“President Trump’s been clear; public safety threats and national security threats will be the priority because they have to be. They pose the most danger to this country,” Homan said.
Homan revealed that a primary focus will be on individuals who have already undergone the legal process and were ordered to leave by federal immigration judges but have defied those orders. “We’re going to prioritize those groups, those who already have final orders, those that had due process at great taxpayer expense, and the federal judge says you must go home. And they didn’t. They became a fugitive,” Homan explained.
According to the Wall Street Journal, approximately 1.3 million individuals are in this category, remaining in the country despite court orders to leave.
Homan acknowledged that the program is likely to face significant opposition. However, he maintained that enforcing the law is paramount. “You have a right to claim asylum. You have a right to see a judge, and we make that happen, but at the end of that due process, when the judge says, ‘You must go home,’ then we have to take them home because if we’re not, what the hell are we doing?” he said.
Trump’s supporters have strongly backed his hardline stance on immigration, with many seeing it as a necessary step to restore order at the border and address what they perceive as a growing crisis under the Biden administration.
With the declaration of a national emergency and the utilization of military resources, Trump’s administration aims to expedite the deportation process and achieve what the president-elect promises will be the most robust immigration enforcement in U.S. history.
As Trump prepares to take office, his confirmation signals a dramatic shift in immigration policy.