How Trump’s Immigration Policy And 14th Amendment Policy Could Impact Millions

The immigration policy changes promised by president-elect Donald Trump raise much concern across the states. During his recent sit-down on NBC’s Meet the Press, Trump detailed that he will deport those illegals residing in the US, a move that can send millions of people—whole families—into exodus, especially those holding mixed statuses. His proposal will majorly impact family units that contain at least one illegal resident and one U.S.-born citizen or legal citizen.

Trump’s deportation policy is seen to be a measure to oblige what he calls “the necessity” of securing U.S. immigration law. His proposal to deport even the whole family, to which U.S.-born children belong, has provoked wide criticism. “I don’t want to be breaking up families, so the only way you don’t break up the family is you keep them together and you have to send them all back,” Trump said in that interview.

The ‘Mixed-Status’ Households Affected

The policy would likely affect the 4.7 million “mixed-status” households in the U.S. These households contain at least one undocumented person and at least one legal resident or U.S.-born child. Trump’s proposal raises serious concerns about the well-being of children who may be legally in the country but face the prospect of deportation with their undocumented parents.

The Center for Migration Studies has noted that nearly half of the 2.8 million households with undocumented residents also contain at least one child born in the United States. This has caused people to raise alarms about a greater social and emotional cost to children and families when deportations take place. It could be unprecedented family disruption, compelling children born here, who are citizens, to leave their homes and communities.

Birthright Citizenship And The 14th Amendment

The proposal of the president to end birthright citizenship, a central aspect of the 14th Amendment, has also garnered huge attention. The 14th Amendment grants citizenship to everyone born on the American soil, irrespective of whether the parents are documented immigrants or undocumented immigrants. According to Trump, he has decided to challenge this particular provision and eliminate it as his first act in the administration. “We have to end it. It’s ridiculous,” Trump said, although he did not specify how he would circumvent the Constitution to achieve this goal.

Legal scholars have questioned the constitutionality of such a move, speculating that it would most likely face significant legal resistance. The 14th Amendment has been a part of U.S. jurisprudence, and efforts to roll it back would likely trigger considerable judicial scrutiny.

Mixed Reactions To Mass Deportations

Trump’s mass deportation approach has been met with a divided reaction. While some of his supporters view this as a necessary step to enforce U.S. immigration laws, others have strongly voiced humanitarian objections. The deporting of millions of people, including those who have lived in the U.S. for years and contributed to its economy and society, could have far-reaching consequences. The social and economic impacts on families, especially those with U.S.-born children, remain a major concern.

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