President-elect Donald Trump’s newly appointed ‘border tsar,’ Tom Homan, has sent a direct and forceful message to Democratic lawmakers who might oppose the administration’s planned mass deportations: “Get the hell out of our way.” This blunt warning comes in response to reports that Democratic leaders in several cities and states are preparing to defy Trump’s plans to deport undocumented immigrants.
Homan’s message, delivered on Fox News Monday morning, followed Trump’s announcement that he would be “in charge of the nation’s borders.” “I’ve seen some of these Democratic governors say they’re going to stand in the way and make it hard for us,” Homan stated. “We’re going to do the job.” This echoes the tactics Democrats employed during Trump’s first term, creating sanctuary cities that limited cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. Homan asserted, “If sanctuary cities don’t help us, then get out of the way… We’re coming.”
Trump has repeatedly reaffirmed his commitment to his campaign promise of mass deportations, stating that the cost will not deter him. In his first public comments since winning the election, Trump emphasized that strengthening the US border would be his top priority upon taking office in January. “It’s not about the price tag. It’s not—really, we have no choice,” Trump told NBC News.
According to BBC, citing data from the Department of Homeland Security and Pew Research, approximately 11 million undocumented immigrants currently reside in the US, a figure that has remained relatively stable since 2005. The majority of these individuals are long-term residents, with almost 80% having lived in the country for over a decade.
Undocumented immigrants are entitled to due process under US law, including a court hearing before potential removal. A significant increase in deportations would likely necessitate the expansion of the immigration court system, which is already facing significant backlogs. Most immigrants enter the deportation system not through ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement), but through local law enforcement. However, many large cities and counties have enacted laws limiting cooperation with ICE, creating the so-called sanctuary cities.
Trump has vowed to target these sanctuary cities, but the complex interplay of local, state, and federal laws presents a formidable challenge to enforcement. The clash between Trump’s immigration agenda and the efforts of Democratic leaders to protect undocumented immigrants is poised to become one of the most contentious issues of his presidency.
