Mass deportations are not the answer

 In 2024, the U.S. deported approximately 142,00 people, an increase over previous years. This year so far, according to the Transaction Records Access Clearinghouse (tracreports.org), there have been 157,948 people removed from the U.S. under the Trump administration.  

Photo by Jason Leung on unsplash.com

While many in this country might applaud these deportations, others will deplore them on the grounds that they cause needless trauma, fear, anxiety and displacements. These mass deportations break up families, interrupt the lives of hardworking residents, disrupt businesses and send ripple effects of distrust through communities. 

The current disturbances in L.A. and San Francisco vividly demonstrate the harm these deportations are causing – negating individual dreams and destroying the normal rhythms of entire communities.

There are an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S. with an estimated 1.8 million in California.

Census data taken in 2023 shows that 41% of East Palo Alto residents were born outside of the U.S. So, East Palo Alto is particularly vulnerable with its large immigrant community, where families often pool resources and support each other.  Since 6.1 million children in the U.S. live with at least one undocumented immigrant, it’s easy to see how deporting a breadwinner can destabilize entire households.         

Yes, Trump did say that he would launch “the largest deportation program in American history,” and it seems that he is intent on keeping his promise.  Weren’t there initially promises to deport criminals and illegal gang members? The answer is yes. But, now, even those with green cards and those appearing for legitimate court cases are being swept up in immigration raids and deportations.     

Considering the negative effects that ICE raids are having on communities throughout this country and the traumatic aftereffects that result, many might rightly conclude that the mass deportations we are seeing need to be condemned not lauded. After all, they fall disproportionately on Black and Brown immigrants and communities, particularly people from Africa and the Caribbean. One has only to look at Trump’s proclamation on June 5, 2025, banning nationals of 12 countries from entering the United States to see those who are being targeted, detained and denied entry.

If mass deportation is not the answer, then what is the answer? There are three approaches that offer solutions. First, it is widely recognized that our immigration system is broken.

 What has seldom been mentioned, and certainly not much lately, is immigration reform. If the U.S. is to act fairly and enact and enforce just immigration policies, then it must reform the current immigration system, so that there are legal pathways for those who seek to enter this country. 

 Second, deportation should focus on those who commit crimes and pose a threat to public safety and not focus on parents, caregivers and longtime community members. Yet, even criminals deserve their day in court before being deported. So, with everyone, there are laws of “due process” that need to be respected.

 Third, countries need to work together to positively address the conditions that force people to seek asylum in this country. Foreign aid programs that address violence, poverty and climate displacement are one step in this direction.

 Surely, mass deportations only hurt not help and we need to find another way of dealing with this country’s immigrant communities. The future of East Palo Alto and of other communities, like it, depend on our finding and enacting solutions that are just and humane.