New Delhi: US President Donald Trump issued a renewed call for intensified deportation efforts targeting undocumented immigrants across the United States. Trump specifically named major cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, which have witnessed significant protests following a recent escalation of immigration raids, on Sunday.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump declared, “I have directed my entire Administration to put every resource possible behind this effort,” although he offered no details on the specific methods to be employed.
This announcement follows a week of heightened tensions in Los Angeles, where Trump deployed National Guard troops and US Marines to quell protests, a decision met with opposition from California Governor Gavin Newsom. This deployment, justified by Trump as a response to unrest, is contested by state and local officials.
However, internal divisions within the Trump administration have surfaced over the deportation policy. A recent Reuters report revealed that immigration raids on farms, hotels, restaurants, and meatpacking plants have been largely paused, according to an internal email and sources within the administration contacted by the news agency. This internal conflict highlights a critical division between the policy’s chief architect, Stephen Miller, and other officials concerned about the economic impact on key industries reliant on undocumented workers.
This clash is exemplified by the concerns raised by Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, who warned Trump about the negative consequences of raids on the agricultural sector. Rollins emphasised the crucial role of migrant workers in the industry, highlighting their willingness to work long hours and the potential for significant labour shortages if these workers are deported, the New York Times reported. A 2022 US Department of Agriculture report indicates that over 40 per cent of US farmworkers are undocumented immigrants.
Last week, Trump’s response on Truth Social acknowledged these concerns, stating that the “very aggressive policy on immigration” is impacting crucial industries such as farming and hospitality. He conceded that the deportation policy risks removing “very good, long-time workers,” while also blaming the Biden administration’s “open borders policy” for allowing criminals to fill these jobs.
“Our great Farmers and people in the Hotel and Leisure business have been stating that our very aggressive policy on immigration is taking very good, long time workers away from them, with those jobs being almost impossible to replace,” He wrote.
“In many cases the Criminals allowed into our Country by the VERY Stupid Biden Open Borders Policy are applying for those jobs. This is not good. We must protect our Farmers, but get the criminals out of the USA. Changes are coming!” he concluded.
