President-elect Donald Trump has confirmed his readiness to declare a national emergency and utilize military resources to fulfill his 2024 campaign pledge of mass deportations. In a brief post on Truth Social, Trump responded to a statement by Tom Fitton, president of the conservative group Judicial Watch, who claimed the incoming administration was prepared for such actions. Trump replied, “True!!!”
This marks Trump’s clearest indication yet of how he intends to implement what he has described as the largest deportation effort in U.S. history. The proposal has sparked criticism from rights groups and raised questions about its feasibility and the legal boundaries of presidential authority in deporting millions of undocumented immigrants.
Critics, including Aaron Reichlin-Melnick from the American Immigration Council, have pointed out that U.S. law limits the scope of emergency powers, and using the military for deportations falls outside these limits. Legal challenges to any such plan are almost certain.
Although Trump has highlighted immigration as a central issue in his re-election campaign, specifics on execution remain scarce. With an estimated 11 to 13 million undocumented individuals in the U.S., human rights organizations warn of severe humanitarian consequences and significant logistical and financial hurdles. For example, scaling deportations to one million annually could cost nearly $1 trillion over a decade, according to the American Immigration Council.
Stephen Miller, a senior adviser, has previously suggested involving the National Guard for large-scale raids, while Tom Homan, Trump’s designated "border czar," has emphasized targeted enforcement prioritizing public safety and national security. Homan also mentioned the possibility of deporting families together to avoid separations.
On the campaign trail, Trump frequently referred to invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which allows for deporting individuals from enemy nations. However, legal experts argue this law cannot be applied to mass deportations.
Trump's earlier use of a national emergency in 2019 to secure border wall funding hints at a potential strategy to redirect military resources for deportations. However, analysts urge caution, noting Trump’s tendency to make sweeping statements without providing detailed plans.
