Republicans Duck Questions About Trump's Plan For Mass Deportations

LOADING ERROR LOADING Donald Trump’s militaristic plan to deport as many as 20 million undocumented immigrants would tear apart families, likely cost hundreds of billions of dollars, harm the economy, and raise all sorts of constitutional, humanitarian and logistical problems. The camps would be built “on open land in Texas near the border” and would have the capacity to house as many as 70,000 people, which would double the country’s current immigrant detention capacity, Stephen Miller, the main point man on immigration in Trump’s White House, said last year. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images His campaign has also invoked President Dwight D. Eisenhower, whose administration infamously oversaw a massive, deportation program, to describe “brand new crackdowns” on immigrants and “the largest deportation operation of illegal criminals, drug dealers and human traffickers in American history.” At a campaign stop in Pennsylvania last week, Trump drew applause at a rally when he said he would “get these people out” and “deport them so rapidly.” He’s also used xenophobic and racist rhetoric against migrants, including saying that they are “poisoning the blood” of America as well as falsely claiming that they are genetically predisposed to commit crimes. Trump’s calls for mass deportations and camps, his promise to use military force against an “enemy from within,” his threats against the independent news media and his glorification of violence have evoked comparisons to authoritarian regimes, including by the former chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, retired Army Gen. Mark Milley, who called Trump “fascist to the core.” Among Republicans on Capitol Hill, however, the idea of rounding up 11 million undocumented immigrants in the biggest deportation operation in the country’s history is treated far less seriously. Let’s take it in chunks.” Asked how Trump’s plan would work, Sen. Lindsey Graham said: “You just start revoking people who are here temporarily, like TPS, say they’ve gotta go.” The U.S. currently grants legal residency through the Temporary Protected Status program to people who came to the country to escape crisis conditions in Ukraine, Venezuela, Syria, Myanmar, Yemen, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, Sudan and South Sudan.