CalMatters
By Levi Sumagaysay, CalMatters
Mass deportations promised by President-elect Donald Trump could have a seismic economic effect in California — potentially inflicting billions of dollars in direct damages to a wide range of industries, including small business, agriculture, construction and child care, advocates and academics said.
The impact could also spread outward to other sectors, including growth drivers like tech.
The Golden State relies heavily on the labor of immigrants, whether they’re naturalized U.S. citizens, have temporary visas or are undocumented. More than 10 million, or 27%, of California’s population is foreign-born, according to the most recent U.S. Census data. Roughly a fifth of those are thought to be undocumented; as of 2022, estimates ranged from 1.8 million undocumented immigrants, according to the Pew Research Center, to 2.4 million, according to the left-leaning Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy.
If undocumented immigrants “magically disappear, you’re going to erase 10% of California production,” said Giovanni Peri, professor of international economics at UC Davis. “We’re talking about hundreds of billions of dollars.”
The loss of workers only speaks to part of the financial impact of deportations. Undocumented immigrants also power the state’s economy as consumers and taxpayers.
There may also be indirect impacts from the deportations. The loss of workers in construction, agriculture (including the state’s world-famous wine industry), hospitality and the care economy would have ripple effects on the rest of the state, according to Manuel Pastor, professor of sociology and American studies and ethnicity at the University of Southern California.
“Behind every software engineer is an army of nannies, food-service workers and gardeners,” Pastor said.
Pastor thinks businesses are likely to protest significant cuts to their workforces given how tight the labor market is. “They’ve come for the tax cut, they didn’t stay for stripping away their labor force,” he said, referring to business owners who supported Trump.
At his campaign rallies, Trump has said immigrants are “attacking” Black and Latino Americans’ jobs. Federal data undermines that claim, instead showing foreign-born, noncitizen Black and Hispanic workers predominantly work different types of jobs than their native-born counterparts.
It could be costly to replace those who are deported. In the construction industry, for example, the median weekly earnings of full-time, U.S.-born workers as of 2020 were $1,031 vs. $786 for foreign-born workers, according to an analysis by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In California, the median hourly wage as of 2021 was $30 an hour for U.S.-born workers vs. $24 an hour for immigrant workers vs. $16 an hour for undocumented workers, according to the California Immigrant Data Portal, a project by the Equity Research Institute at USC, which is directed by Pastor.
Even if Trump does not fully carry out his plan — or takes a long time to do so — the mere threat of deportations will have an economic impact, said Maria Lemus, executive director of Vision y Compromiso, a national community-based organization started in San Francisco that supports promotores, people who serve as liaisons between immigrant communities and health and social service providers.
“There will probably be a lot of people not going to work for fear of getting picked up,” Lemus said. “Employers will suffer the repercussions of this also.”
If a segment of the population goes into hiding, they will earn less and spend less, she said. Their kids — who are likely U.S. citizens — may not go to school, either, Lemus added.
And undocumented immigrants contribute not just their labor, they also pay significantly into government coffers. In 2022, they paid $8.5 billion in local and state taxes in California, according to a national study by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. Mass deportations would lead to lost sales, property and income taxes paid by those immigrants — including into programs they have never drawn from because they can’t, such as unemployment insurance benefits, or, until recently, Medi-Cal.
Then there are the immigrants who have legal status and may be in the state for different reasons, such as for temporary work. During the campaign this time around, Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance mentioned that they would also target the Temporary Protected Status program, which allows immigrants to stay in this country and work legally if their countries are determined to be unsafe.
The Trump administration may also target different visas that allow people born elsewhere to come to California to work in the fields (the H-2A visa), or in the tech industry (the H-1B visa). During his first term, Trump loosened rules for the issuing of visas for temporary workers such as the ones who worked for businesses he owned, and tightened rules for H-1B visas.
The U.S. approved more than 46,000 H-1B visas for California employers in September, according to the most recent U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services data. About 30% were for Google, Meta and Apple.
Preparing for what Trump’s deportations could bring
Chris Iglesias, CEO of Unity Council, a nonprofit affordable-housing developer that also provides social services to thousands of residents of Oakland’s Fruitvale neighborhood, said people there are alarmed but not panicked.
Iglesias said there is “a lot of Trump-proofing” going on at organizations such as his, which serve low-income and marginalized communities that include undocumented immigrants.
Though President Joe Biden’s administration has also deported immigrants, Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric is different. He has referred to immigrants as criminals, “rough people” and even animals. The incoming president has said he will use the U.S. military to carry out deportations.
“He built his whole campaign off vilifying Latinos and immigrants,” Iglesias said. “People feel ready. They know this is coming.” Iglesias said the previous Trump term, plus the pandemic, strengthened bonds in the community, which has found “different ways to feed and house” its members.
He is also taking comfort in the fact that Oakland is a sanctuary city, and in the promises state officials have made, including Gov. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta, to fight the Trump administration. Newsom has called a special session to ask the state Legislature to fund lawsuits against the incoming administration. Bonta told CalMatters in a recent interview that his office is preparing legal challenges to “a full frontal assault on our immigrant communities.”
In San Francisco, Lemus’ organization has joined with other community groups to prepare for the deportations.
They are working on getting out information about what people can do to get ready and to inform them of their legal rights. “They don’t have to open their doors,” she said. “They can refuse to give out their information.”
She also said the fear is bound to be felt by others who could be mistaken for being undocumented: “I’m a dark Latina. What if I’m walking somewhere and don’t have my (ID)? What would happen to me?”
What business and industry are saying — or not saying
Business and labor representatives from some of the industries most likely to be affected refused interview requests from CalMatters, or had no comment. They include the California Restaurant Association, Napa Valley Vintners, the Wine Institute and the State Building and Construction Trades Council of California.
The California Chamber of Commerce emailed a statement from its president, Jennifer Barrera: “It is no secret that undocumented workers greatly contribute to California’s economy given our geographical proximity to the border, which is why CalChamber has been a long-time supporter of a national comprehensive effort that provides a pathway to citizenship or legal status for these individuals while at the same time addressing border security.”
A.J. Rossitto, advocacy director for the California Hotel and Lodging Association, said the group “does not anticipate a significant impact to hotel operations in California at this time.”
That contradicts the view of Unite Here Local 11, a union that represents 32,000 hospitality workers in Southern California and Arizona who work in hotels, restaurants, universities, convention centers and airports.
“It’s really hard to hear that there would be no impact,” said Ada Briceño, co-president of the union. “It seems there’s a shortsightedness about not understanding who (the workers) are.”
She said the union is trying to figure out how to support those who would feel the impact of deportations, from its own members to their children and families. That includes educating the workers about what to do in case of workplace raids, or “making sure they’re able to assign legal guardians to their children.”
Many California small businesses could also be affected by deportations.
Iglesias, of Unity Council in Oakland, said “a lot of our merchants and business owners in Fruitvale, whether they’re immigrants with or without status, are worried about the impact on their businesses.”
Carolina Martinez, CEO of small business advocacy group CAMEO Network, said “entrepreneurs who are undocumented pay taxes and support the economy.”
Latin American immigrants start businesses at double the rate of other Americans, she said, referring to a recent UCLA Luskin Public Policy analysis of U.S. Census data, which also found that immigrants started 36% of U.S. businesses last year.
Besides the deportation worries, Martinez is concerned about a possible drop in government funding that helps small businesses get up and running: “Business leaders and advocates need to speak up and support ongoing investments. Small businesses are a bipartisan issue.”
This article was originally published by CalMatters.
COASTW – “There isn’t ONE Country in the World that has such an insane “drop a kid on our soil and they get citizenship and entitlements”. NOT ONE COUNTRY.”
That statement is absolutely, categorically, unequivocally, completely 100% WRONG. TOTAL BS.
You didn’t even bother to take 2 seconds to look it up, huh? https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/countries-with-birthright-citizenship
@SACJON- I should have clarified for you and dotted my i’s and crossed my t’s… Birthright is NOT ACCEPTED BY THOSE PARENTS HERE ILLEGALLY IN OTHER COUNTRIES…. Geez dude.
Every Country with Unrestricted Birthright Citizenship (jus soli):
The following countries have unrestricted birthright citizenship: Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chad, Child, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Fiji, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Jamaica, Lesotho, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, the United States, Uruguay, and Venezuela.
Does anyone truly care whether or not they have birthright citizenship in any country other than the US? Does any other country offer the same rights/benefits at birth as does the US? I haven’t heard or read of anyone walking miles into any other country than the US so their child can be born an American.
DOOLY – “I haven’t heard or read of anyone walking miles into any other country than the US so their child can be born an American.”
LOL….. think about that one.
LOL! Yeah, but it’s still Newsom that’s hurting the middle class. Right COAST? BEES? BASIC?
Did the illegal aliens break the law? Yes.
Should we stop enforcing all laws?
Now illegal farm worker advocates are pushing for $26/hour wages for the illegals aliens. Almost 30% more pay to an illegal than the minimum wage. So much for cheap labor.
Illegal farm workers were supposed to cheap labor that was always the excuse as to why everyone ignored the criminals. Now the criminals want to get paid higher than minimum wage.
Ship them home, they broke the law. Or stop enforcing all laws.
And stop making excuses for the criminals.
Stop using tax payer money to support illegals. Seriously they get paid a fair wage, why are we paying for their healthcare, education, living costs, etc?
It is illegal to use tax payer monies to support illegal activities.
Enforce the law
“It is illegal to use tax payer monies to support illegal activities.” – Seeking healthcare, housing, etc isn’t “illegal.”
Do you have any idea at all how much more taxpayer money we’d be spending on millions of people using ERs for basic healthcare services?
Would you rather these millions of people just be out on the street with and their kids kicked out of school? Yes or no?
YES! Send them packing and you will not have to pay anything for housing and health ! Stop using illegals to undermine the minimum wage and then killing off food business with ridiculous minimum wage increases that are inflationary and job killers. Pay a fair wage to US citizens and stop allowing cartels All subsidized with the tax money of hardworking middle class Americans. Worry about your own fellow citizens instead of non citizens that broke our laws to get here. Worry about the families of the slain women that illegals murdered, like Laken Riley or Kate Stinely. Instead of constantly hand wringing for everyone other than your fellow hardworking taxpaying Americans
Illegal does not equal criminal.
Illegal means ‘prohibited by law’. Which also means if you are breaking the law you are committing a crime. = criminal.
LCP – “if you are breaking the law you are committing a crime. = criminal.”
Ok, what about civil law? Traffic law? If you slow roll a stop sign, you’re a “criminal?” How about if you violate a non-criminal statute? Wearing the US flag as clothing? Criminals? How about blowing bubbles without a permit? Definitely criminal, right?
Either way, glad to see you agree Trump is a criminal.
Yep, yep, yep.
Now let’s have a practical question answered, shall we?
If you succeed in deporting them all exactly who will go out and grow and pick your fruit and vegetables?
You?
I thought farmers could get exemptions for immigrants working the fields.
One thing everyone agrees on is that our immigration laws are outdated, arcane and confusing. They need reform. It’s an extremely complex situation with a vast array of contingencies involving international laws and many questions of basic humanity.
Yet you and so many non-thinkers seem only capable of simple, black & white solutions.
They broke a law! ergo they’re all criminals. I bet you don’t think Elon Musk is a criminal, yet he entered the country on false pretenses. If you don’t want to send him back to Canada or South Africa, well then I guess you want to just suspend all laws then. puhleeez
Deport! Ship ’em back! without every considering the economic self-harm, the chaos, nor the horrifying inhumanity of such a course. All because of a set of immigration laws that you already agree need fixing.
Something else that needs fixing is the absurdly illogical thinking you are engaged in.
Unfortunately, many field and farm workers will be out of work in the near future due to the advancements in robotic farm technology. Much like back in the days of when hand-picking cotton was taken over by technology, it’s already happening. For SB county, robotic (ground and aerial) harvesting machines will and are directly affecting….
– Wine Grapes
– Strawberries
– Avocados
– Lemons (SB and Ventura)
– Oranges (mostly Ventura County)
BEES – and? You ok with taking hard working parents from their children, regardless what industry they work in?
Sacjon: The “and” is simply Supply vs Demand. It also makes no sense that children would be taken away from hard-working or even non-working parents, or why the industry a parent works in would have any correlation. Very strange.
Yada yada yada yawn….. More deflection from BEES…. surprise surprise.
I’m simply trying to understand your take on this. Are you intentionally nebulous all the time? You say a lot but really don’t say anything. Curious, indeed.
Studies show one billion around the world wish to live in America. Do nothing and they will enter.
Honk honk!
If a parent breaks the law and goes to jail what happens to their kids?
Or are you saying that no parent should ever be convicted of a crime, white collar or otherwise?
Near future? How near? When is this happening?
Do you have any examples of robotic harvesting being cost effective and functional? Anywhere in the world?
Google is your friend.
https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2020/08/27/automation-helps-solve-specialty-crop-challenges
Technically it is a criminal offense to be in the US illegally. Same as Australia. It is a deportable offense.
If the new administration goes after the low hanging fruit of targeting convicted criminal, incarcerated, targeted upon release, it would be at worst a neutral cost to the State of CA.
If I am an “unlawful non-citizen” in Australia who goes to jail there, I can expect to be deported back to the USA upon release. In other words, by my own actions I would have worn out my welcome and the welcome is withdrawn. That’s fair. I expect this will be the policy of the US and my guess is that once again the new administration will deport fewer people that Obama did
CNN- During his first term, Trump also promised mass deportations. And he did deport a large number of people – more than 1.5 million – during his four years in office, according to Kathleen Bush-Joseph, a policy analyst at the Migration Policy Institute.
But that’s about half the 2.9 million deportations undertaken during Barack Obama’s first term and fewer than the 1.9 million deportations during Obama’s second term. It’s on par with Biden’s 1.49 million deportations
Being present in the United States without legal documentation is in itself not a crime.
True that. But
“Being present in the U.S., that status, is not a crime,” Morawetz said.
That doesn’t mean undocumented immigrants can live in the U.S. without consequence, said Rick Su, a professor at the University at Buffalo School of Law. Federal authorities can deport them.
A criminal violation comes with a punishment, like time in prison. Civil cases come with penalties instead. Deportation is considered a penalty under federal law, not a punishment
Entering the US without proper documentation is a crime. That crime “sticks” with you and is ongoing no matter how long you stay in the US because of the “failure to depart” clause.
1911.8 sec 1325, 1326
These laws cover a lot of ground because they define various types of illegal entry and make failure to depart an ongoing crime. People ask about the statute of limitations and don’t realize that “failure to depart” is not a one time failure, it is forever
EDNEY – Ok, makes sense. Go arrest them all, by the millions. But I’m curious, how do you propose to deal with their children who were born here and are, by law, US citizens?
I’m almost ready to ixnay this platform as it is, more and more, showing bias and mis-truths (I know that’s not a word but you get the idea)
This is BS “liberal” propaganda
I don’t even like Trump, but I like these lying, stealing, “liberals” even less
Layt: I know what you are referring to regarding some of the “propaganda.” I wouldn’t say it’s propaganda as much as a somewhat misguided belief system that a few journalists and commenters seem to have. I can’t stand Trump either, but we need to accept (not agree) the landslide mandate. I would recommend that you continue supporting the spirit of Edhat because more reasonable voices need to be heard….not the “squeaky wheels.” The far-left’s “my way or the highway” and “answer my questions you idiot” is what got us to where we are today. I hope others here will support your point of view. Hang in there my friend….you are not alone.
Thank you Beesknees
How I winning the vote by less than one percent a “landslide”?
Reagan had a landslide. Trump did not.
Alex – Let’s forget the numbers. The bottom line and what is truly relevant is that Trump was elected, aka he won. Also, there is a conservative senate and house for Trump to help reach his reported goals to benefit all Americans. Regarding concerns about tariffs, it appears people were wetting their pants needlessly; and he’s not even in office yet.
“Landslide” probably is not the best word for what occurred. Maybe there is a better word to use when one candidate wins 31 states, including all seven “battleground” states. The results were shocking to everyone. As I watched MSNBC election night, it became increasingly obvious what was happening. All I can say is one way or another, we need to find a way to work together.
You really don’t get it.
MAGA doesn’t want to work with you. MAGA wants to bury you.
“I want to drag their dead burned bodies through the streets, burn them and throw them off the wall.”
“(Legally, politically and financially of course)”
If you aren’t one of their cult members, if you disagree with them, they want to destroy you. They have been telling you this for years, why is it that you don’t believe them?
And the word you are looking for is “win” or “won”. Not a landslide, not a mandate. He got 50% of the vote. That’s barely squeaking out a win.
Alex: Agree. I’ll go with “win/won” rather than “landslide” and/or “mandate.” Now, let’s move ahead regardless of who won.
BEES – not everyone has the luxury or privilege of “moving ahead.” Many people’s basic rights are at stake. That’s why this is such a contentious situation.
How do you propose working together? As ALEX correctly states, the MAGA train only stops for those who voted for him. They don’t want to work with anyone else.
We, the people, need to work AGAINST him.
Now tell me how you can work with people who want your destruction, you know, “legally, politically, and financially.”
BEES lol you just can’t help yourself can you? Yes, LAYT has plenty of commrades here who believe in conspiracy theories and cry about how liberal a liberal leaning site in a heavily liberal town is, like you, Basic, Coast and your other pals here. Thing is, we don’t need that. I like to engage with intellectually honest, reasonable and decent folk who acknowledge fact with some dignity. I’ve found those commenters are in short supply here.
Sacjon: No need to group me in with those that you are calling my “palls.” I mostly agree with you and enjoy your comments. I do disagree sometimes though with what I would call stinging unnecessary descriptors. It’s all good though as long as anger doesn’t enter into the equation. You be you and the rest of us will simply be ourselves. It’s a beautiful and sunny SB day. Great day to head to Campus Point….nice little 1 footers rolling in right now.
I think you used to post here under another handle. What was it?
I think so too, ALEX. Almost sounds as deflective and dodgy as Doulie lol!
Sock puppet for at least one other name – Rob Watson
BASIC – it’s truly brilliant how aptly you describe yourself. I’ve engaged plenty with people sharing different beliefs here over the years. Lately though, all the righties here are just trolls, you in particular. Here only to mock others or spew hate with no real intention or ability to converse with any dignity.
For example, Alex and I disagreed for quite some time over Gaza, yet we were mature and enganged with some meaningful conversation. That’s a skill you and your fellow Cons here lack.
Hey, I laid out my opinion way earlier today. No personal insults, swear words, labels, etc. in there. But there ya go – instantly calling someone a “con”, as usual. You proved my point in under 10 minutes!
BASIC – “But there ya go – instantly calling someone a “con”, as usual”
Uh, Con (as in conservative) is not an insult. Do you take such offense to the word, “liberal?”
You are quite literally one of the most insulting people on this site. You mock, belittle and flat out insult the authors of articles, the subjects of articles and fellow commenters here on a daily basis for no reason at all. So do spare us the holier than thou baloney. There’s a good reason most of your comments don’t see the light of day.
Now show proof that the article is flawed or “propaganda.”
Opinions don’t count.
LAYT – what have liberals “stolen” from you or anyone?
Democrats have never been able to quit their addiction to slave labor or indentured servitude. The argument that goes, “but, but, but…. who will pick our fruit?!?!?!” sounds just like, “Who will pick our tobacco?!?!?!”
Their arguments are incoherent; Americans should be paid what they’re worth, but not enough to work in a field, those are jobs for illegals. They’ve got more compassion for foreign nationals, who commit a felony (illegal entry), than Americans; we’re paying for their welfare benefits. These same liberals will worship the culture and social programs of the Nordic countries, but don’t want their immigration restrictions, which is necessarily a requirement of a generous welfare state. These liberals will yell about needing immigrants to support social security programs but won’t support programs for encouraging Americans to have more babies. You never see liberals encouraging illegals to get greater abortion access.
LOL “slave labor”.
Labor and labour are different spellings of the noun meaning “work,” “a group of manual workers,” and “the process of giving birth” and the verb meaning “work hard” and “discuss something at unnecessary length.”
The spelling varies depending on whether you’re using UK or US English:
In US English, “labor” (no “u”) is standard.
In UK English, “labour” (with a “u”) is the correct spelling.
And yes, the Democratic party has been the party of slaves and slave owners since the beginning of this Country, but look at how far we have gone., while professing the opposite.
The ignorant South is a perfect example of how the Democratic party distorts history.
Live long enough and you will know the diff, that only through experience comes wisdom.
TNKY – this is why we need to improve public education this country. It’s common knowledge that the ideals and political philosophies of the parties shifted drastically since then. To attempt to claim that today’s Democrats would have supported slavery is not only historically ignorant, it’s just absurd.
I mean really, explain how woke culture would somehow be in favor of enslaving an entire race? Just quit with the tired “Democrats were the KKK” stuff. Everyone knows it’s wrong.
Somehow Dems have lost their way and the pendulum swung very wide on this election.
If the R’s screw up the next 4 yrs., the pendulum will swing back the other way.
Every election seems to be about infighting and revenge and both sides are complicit, which does no one any good.
There can be no real progress without both sides working together, and no more of this my way or the highway delete you crap.
I don’t play for either team and have done very well by seeing, reading, and watching both sides then acting in accordance.
Thanks to the lefts hatred of Musk that pushed Tesla to 108$ when he bought twitter.
I don’t care about the issue really but am happy to say the stock is up at almost 360$.
That is not intuition, only paying attention and not allowing myself to be swayed to one side or the other.
Only then can you have true balance in your life.
Except that it’s Republicans who voted for a serial liar, convicted felon, lifelong racist and adjudicated rapist. It was Republicans who were uncritical enough to believe his lies about immigrants and the economy. It was Republicans who bought his NFT “trading cards”, his Bible, his sneakers, and his mugshot that definitely (riiight) has a small swatch of his suit attached to it. It was Republicans who pasted a giant bandage over their ear at his rallies and wore t-shirts saying “real men wear diapers”. It was Republicans who attacked our Capitol on Jan 6.
No I’m afraid it is Republicans who have lost their way. As a group they seem to unable to distinguish fact from fiction, and are horrible judges of character. When more of them are ready to actively confront their party’s obsessions with conspiracy theories, Christian nationalism, white supremacy, and deep-seated misogyny our country’s balance will begin to right itself.
Tnk – So, you’re saying you’re hugely inexperienced?
Board – Relax – you won the election. You can pull back on campaigning – we know about your hate. But as for “liberals” wanting cheap labor “to pick our fruit…”, liberals don’t own the farms or directly benefit in any way from the cheap labor; that’s your Republican friends – and it’s nothing new. Back in 1960, one fruit grower put it this way: “We used to own slaves – now we just rent them.” (From “Harvest of Shame.”) What you resent is that liberals actually care about the workers. With apologies to Woody Guthrie, I have to wonder: when the first planeload takes off under Trump’s plan, will the radio say they were just deportees? Sadly, I expect so.
This is a funny little thing that Republicans like to tell themselves. As I had a similar convo with a HS classmate MAGAt. Democrats not only don’t want to deport our ag employees, we also want them to be paid a fair wage AND have a path to citizenship. It’s funny that your boring old talking points never include those tidbits of info.
One-sided article. No mention of the balance of the economics involved – social programs, homeless programs, education programs, healthcare programs, etc that we need currently to spend countless dollars supporting many of these folks. No mention of the concept of using cheap illegal immigration as labor to do work here, philosophically, and whether that’s right or wrong. No mention of the concept of laws and legality. 100% there will be big costs, financially and morally, involved with deporting the masses of folks who aren’t here legally. But if your argument is that it’ll be too expensive to bear financially and we should keep using illegal immigrants to do jobs that no one else will do, then well – I disagree. Let the prices rise. Too bad. Markets and economics have ways of straitening themselves out. Using foreign, illegally-immigrated labor no matter where in the world they come from to just keep prices down isn’t right.
People like you suddenly waking up with a soul and caring about were the cheap labor comes from that makes your cheap goods and food is literally f***ing hysterical.
“Let the prices rise”? Really? We just elected an otherwise unqualified candidate to be president primarily because (according to polling and exit-polling data) PRICES ARE TOO HIGH! Granted, Trump has no plan to bring prices down – but to just say “let the prices rise” in order to get rid of the immigrants who ARE doing our dirty work ignores reality. Ask yourself honestly: if Trump had promised to do his mass deportations and told people that the result would be continuing rising inflation, would he have been elected? (“Let the prices rise!” – try that slogan at a MAGA rally!)
I’ve read about a billion people would like to live in the United States – entirely believable considering the state of the world. Do nothing and they will come. The easiest way to deport many is to make it a felony and $50,000 fine to employ each one. If they end up on the streets they will be easy to find and deport.
RUBY – ok, so push families into the streets so you can find them and deport them. Interesting I guess.
Can I ask though, since no one seems to be able or willing to respond, what you plan to do with the millions of children of these immigrants who are US citizens? Where will they go when their parents are deported? Any idea how much it will cost to house and care for children who have been left here?
If a person commits a crime and they go to jail, what happens to their children?
Are you saying anyone with children should not be prosecuted used for breaking the law?
RUBY – “The children’s parents have custody and may take them with them, regardless of citizenship.”
Yes, but why would they take them back to a country where they have no opportunities? They’re not even citizens of those countries. They’d have no benefits, no security like they do here. How is it “neglect” to leave them in the US where they belong?
My point about this is, this mass deportation fantasy you people salivate about has FAR more problems than you realize. You can’t just forcibly remove millions of families from the only home their children may have known.
I mean, the anti-choice (because you’re not really pro-life) crowd is all about the children, right?
Their only home is with their parents and they must go with their parents. In a case where parents refuse to take their children it’s not US separating families, but the family is separating themselves.
Such contorted logic. Pretzel, anyone?
RUBY – so force them to be homeless in another country where safety and honest law enforcement are absent? You don’t get it, do you? We would be either forcing US citizens into unsafe conditions or separating them from their parents.
This is one of the many problems with the mass deportation absurdity.
Cons don’t really think things through.
RUBY – “life in Mexico today is much better than the depression and wars we went thru to get where we are at.”
Yeah? You know that how? Have you moved there with no job, no money, no house recently? How about you tell this to the millions of families that have been devastated by murders (and worse) at the hands of the cartels and corrupt police?
You don’t know jack about what you’re talking about.
CLUE IN SB Progressive-Liberals- The change has happened due to the inaction and failed progressive policies- From a virtually open border that has allowed the influx of 15 million in 4 yrs , madated regulations forcing a WOKE ideology which has costs us BILLIONS while forced feed down our societies throats, to a failed engery and economy.If you came to this country illegally and commit a crime, you are outta here- just as in ANY other Country in the world. I am hoping the riduculous 14th Amendment, that was written to address the formally enslaved, is GONE. There isn’t ONE Country in the World that has such an insane “drop a kid on our soil and they get citizenship and entitlements”. NOT ONE COUNTRY.
COASTW- “Birthright is NOT ACCEPTED BY THOSE PARENTS HERE ILLEGALLY IN OTHER COUNTRIES…. Geez dude.”
Once again, that is totally wrong. “Birthright citizenship is a governmental policy under which any child born within a country’s borders or territory is automatically granted citizenship in that country—even if their parents are not citizens.”
It is AUTOMATIC. Full stop.
Second of all, coming here illegally for the purpose of giving birth for citizenship is also, yup…. ILLEGAL. “Such “birth tourism” is illegal in the United States, though the procedures used to deter or detect the perpetrators and enforce the laws are not always clear.” – https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/countries-with-birthright-citizenship
Just because it’s hard to enforce, doesn’t mean we allow it. Please do some basic research.
Coastwatch wrote: “I am hoping the riduculous 14th Amendment, that was written to address the formally enslaved, is GONE.”
What the heck?! That’s extremely anti-American and anti-Constitution.
You might want to brush up on the 14th amendment and how it’s been applied.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourteenth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution
Holy mother of gravity, CW. It’s comments like that that have sane people convinced you magadonians are just full of hate and ignorance. Did you even try to research this idiotic claim? There are over 20 countries that have unrestricted birthright citizenship, including both of our neighbors, Mexico and Canada, and nearly every country in South America.
CHUF – “Send them packing and you will not have to pay anything for housing and health ! ”
How so? Do you think that if you deport millions of immigrants that your taxes will magically lower? I’m assuming of course, you mean pay for THEIR housing and health, right? What about the kids who are US citizens? Leave them on the streets? How much will that cost? Can you imagine the lawsuits we’ll be paying for when millions of kids sue the federal government for deporting their parents and kicking the kids to the streets? How about the cost of the mass deportation itself? That gonna be free? Of course not. Any idea how much that will cost? Nah.
Seriously though, how will all these costs disappear via a mass deportation? You’ve thought this through, right?
SBLETSGET – “If a person commits a crime and they go to jail, what happens to their children?”
They stay with the other parent or relatives or go into the system. See how this is different? You’re talking possibly deporting BOTH parents, aunts, uncles, maybe even grandparents. And all this in some massive operation.
So again, what do you propose they do with the US citizen children of these deportees?
Obviously, the answer is deport them too. Because: why would you care about American citizens whose parents broke the law? Remember, sac, these are the same people who oppose free lunch at school “because their parents should be feeding their own kids.”
mm1970 – yup, and they’re also the same people who support forcing women to give birth, even if they’re 13 year olds raped by their uncles, because they care about babies so much….until they’re born.
SBLETSGET – “If a parent breaks the law and goes to jail what happens to their kids? Or are you saying that no parent should ever be convicted of a crime, white collar or otherwise?”
Yeah, you’ve already said that and no, I’m not saying that at all in any way shape or form nor is anyone else anywhere or anytime. You really need to work on reading comprehension.
Did anyone else see the latest clip of John Stewart on Comedy Central – “the Republicans are playing chess while the Democrats are going to the nurses office because they glued their balls to their leg”?