Deportation is a government process for removing individuals who have committed serious crimes or pose a threat to public safety. Since the 1970s, both Democratic and Republican administrations have prioritized deportation of unauthorized immigrants with criminal records, and many such people continue to be removed from the United States. Yet there is growing debate about expanding deportation policy beyond a limited population of unauthorized immigrants to include people who have long-term ties to the country and deep community connections. Such a shift would require an extensive expansion of immigration enforcement efforts, uprooting families and disrupting communities. And it could exacerbate the economic effects of the current immigration crisis by reducing the number of Americans working in the construction, agriculture, and hospitality industries.
Moreover, the negative consequences of deportation extend to the migrants’ countries of origin and may undermine the intended goals of deportation policies. For example, research has found that the forced return of young Salvadorans from Los Angeles contributed to the growth of violent youth gangs in the country, which then spread across Central America. Similarly, the large-scale deportations of Guatemalans in the 1980s helped propel the spread of two powerful, brutal youth gangs now called 18th Street (Barrito 18) and Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13).
The most obvious impact of mass deportation would be on undocumented immigrant households. On average, these families would lose $51,200 in annual household income—a full sixth of their total incomes—if members were removed from the country. This is a substantial amount, and it underscores the fact that deportation of tens of millions of people would have severe economic consequences for the entire nation.
In addition, it would rob federal, state, and local governments of billions in tax revenue that is currently collected by those who have no legal status to work in the United States. Those lost funds represent more than a third of the total local tax revenues in many cities and counties.
A deportation policy of this scale would also erode the social fabric in communities across the country. Widespread ICE raids and the accompanying fear and anxiety of local residents would change the way that many people see their government, fostering a sense of distrust and creating fears of reprisal. And for the 8.5 million U.S. citizens who are part of mixed-status families with undocumented family members, the looming possibility of deportation could lead them to avoid interactions with law enforcement, leading to more crime and decreased trust in police officers.
Despite popular misconceptions, the vast majority of Americans do not think that everyone should be deported from the country. In a recent Pew Research Center survey, the public was evenly split on whether someone should be deported for nonviolent crime or had arrived in the United States recently (44% and 43%, respectively). Even those who say some should be deported would prefer that such action was targeted only at those with a record of serious criminal offenses and a history of public safety threats.