Deportation (or “removal”) is the process by which the federal government identifies an individual without legal status in the United States, places them through a legal process to determine their eligibility for relief, and ultimately removes them from the country. In addition to the many costs of the underlying legal proceedings, this process has the potential to separate families and sow social discord in communities across the country. It is also highly expensive: According to a Center for American Progress estimate, if the government were to execute all orders of removal, it would cost tens of billions of dollars for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to expand its operations and marshal thousands of additional officers and support staff in communities throughout the country.
A mass deportation program is also likely to create unintended negative impacts in both the United States and in the countries of origin of those who are removed. For example, in Mexico, where the majority of people deported from the United States go, studies have found that formal wages decrease in municipalities that receive many returnees, and murder rates increase around repatriation centers where migrants are dropped off.
Many people deported from the United States are forced to leave jobs they have worked hard to build and may not be able to replace in their countries of origin, leading to loss of employment and lower incomes for both the individuals who are removed and native workers. The United States loses billions in tax revenues from fewer working Americans, and trillions in lost economic output due to reduced productivity and consumer spending.
Moreover, many immigrants with lawful status in the United States or naturalized U.S. citizens who live in communities that are targeted for mass deportation will feel anxious that they, too, could be subject to the same treatment. They will fear a proliferation of weaponized enforcement and will worry that their family members might be deported. In some cases, they will move from their homes and seek safer communities where they can live under the radar.
The Trump administration recently rolled back a policy that restricted the ability of ICE to arrest unauthorized people at or near sensitive locations like schools, churches and hospitals. The change was widely criticized as an effort to allow more widespread and aggressive deportation efforts and to circumvent legal protections for individuals who have not committed serious crimes.
Deportation is a significant and costly policy that does not address the nation’s real concerns about unauthorized migration, unsafe neighborhoods or lack of jobs for Americans. It is important for policymakers to weigh the declared goals of these policies against their actual costs and impacts, both intended and unintended. Americans should not have to bear the burden of a deportation regime that is not only immoral and unjust but will wreak havoc on the economy and their own families. If you are in the midst of deportation proceedings, or if you have questions about your own case, please contact a reputable immigration attorney to learn more about your options.