Senate hearing raises concerns about Trump’s mass deportation plan

Additional reporting by Zoltan Lucas, deputy editor of The Haitian Times

The Senate Judiciary Committee convened this week to evaluate President-elect Donald Trump’s proposed mass deportation plan. Lawmakers and expert witnesses debated the potential impact of removing millions of undocumented immigrants, highlighting the economic, logistical, and human costs.

Chairman Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) opened the hearing by emphasizing the contributions of undocumented immigrants to essential sectors of the U.S. economy. 

“13 million undocumented immigrants live in our country. Most have been here for a long period of time. They are health care workers, teachers, farm workers, small business owners, they pay taxes, nearly $50 billion a year,” Durbin said.

Durbin also argued against mass deportations, urging for a balanced approach. “Instead of mass deportation, we should focus on mass accountability,” Durbin said.

Economic concerns dominate the debate

Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, senior fellow at the American Immigration Council, testified about the economic consequences of mass deportations. He warned that such a policy would harm critical industries and destabilize the economy, saying, “Mass deportation would crash the American economy.” He noted that the GDP could drop by as much as 6.8%, comparable to the Great Recession.

Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) echoed these concerns, emphasizing the contributions of undocumented workers. 

“Mass deportation would crash the American economy.”

Aaron Reichlin-Melnick

“Undocumented immigrants make up nearly 14 percent of all construction workers and around 42 percent of our agricultural workforce,” Padilla said. 

“The forced removal of millions of hardworking community members will lead to higher prices for American families.”

Padilla further pointed out, “For anybody whose vote this last November was motivated by high prices of food, of housing, of anything else, understand that the mass deportation Donald Trump is describing will be disastrous to our economy.”

Human Toll and Family Impact

Foday Turay, a DACA recipient and assistant district attorney, shared his personal story after a question from the senators on how deportation would devastate his family. 

“To think you can just remove an individual who United States citizens have built their lives around would not cause hardship on other people around them, it’s just, just disheartening,” Turay said. He explained that his wife and son, both U.S. citizens, rely on him, as does his mother-in-law, who is undergoing chemotherapy.

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) acknowledged the importance of addressing the plight of Dreamers like Turay but stressed border security must come first. “Hopefully, we can find a solution to that problem,” Graham said. “But until we control that border, until we get control over the crime coming into this country…that discussion cannot happen.”

Military Readiness at Risk

Retired Major General Randy Manner raised concerns about Trump’s intent to involve the military in deportation operations. 

“Using military assets for mass deportations would negatively impact the military’s readiness and capability to accomplish its core mission of national defense,” Manner said. He warned that such a move would “absolutely harm operational readiness and reduce the military’s ability to counter adversaries or respond to crises in combat.”

Manner also pointed to the potential damage to recruitment and morale, saying, “The military is already facing its most challenging recruitment environment in 50 years. Involvement of the military in a politically charged domestic deportation effort would only add to those challenges.”

While the hearing brought significant concerns to light, witnesses and lawmakers stressed the lack of clarity around Trump’s plan, with one witness calling the hearing “premature.” A similar sentiment was echoed by some Haitian community leaders, who in regard to Trump’s deportation fears say, so far, “nothing has changed.”

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Senate hearing raises concerns about Trump’s mass deportation plan was first posted on December 12, 2024 at 10:50 am.