As President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office, questions are being raised about the feasibility of his promise to carry out a mass deportation of the millions of undocumented immigrants living in the U.S.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a top Republican from South Dakota, voiced his concerns about the practicality of such an ambitious plan during an interview on NBC’s Meet the Press. “Is it realistic to deport everybody?” he asked. “I mean, there’s a lot of people in this country who are here illegally.”
The idea of deporting 11 million people—an estimate from Pew Research—is a massive undertaking. It would come with a hefty price tag. According to the American Immigration Council, deporting just 1 million people per year could cost up to $88 billion annually. And that’s just the beginning. The plan would require a massive increase in law enforcement staffing, more detention centers, extra immigration courts, and even more flight availability to get people out of the country.
Most of the 11 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S. are not criminals. They come from a wide range of backgrounds, including asylum-seekers and individuals who overstayed their visas. Some, like 1.3 million people who have already been issued removal orders, remain in the U.S. because either the country they came from won’t take them back or there just aren’t enough resources to remove them.
Trump’s plan for “the largest deportation program in American history” was a key part of his reelection campaign. While he’s promised to prioritize deporting immigrants with criminal records, Thune suggests that starting with those already on the Biden administration’s deportation list might make sense, and then taking it from there.
Thune also emphasized that while he agrees with many of Trump’s goals, he’s not afraid to speak up if they don’t see eye to eye. He mentioned that part of his role might include helping Trump understand the realities of working with the Senate—what can actually be achieved and what might be a bit too ambitious.
At the end of the day, this debate is about finding practical solutions to a complicated problem. While the idea of mass deportation sounds bold, the logistics, cost, and impact on communities across the country are a lot to consider.
