Trump’s plan for mass deportation may seem straightforward, but the true costs — both economically and socially — are staggering.
First, the economic impact is enormous. Illegal immigrants pay approximately $100 billion annually in federal, state and city taxes, including programs they can’t collect from such as SSI and unemployment.
According to the American Action Forum, deporting 11 million undocumented immigrants would cost between $400 billion and $600 billion.
That includes the cost of apprehending, detaining, processing and transporting individuals out of the country.
That cost falls on taxpayers, funds that could be better spent on improving schools, infrastructure or healthcare.
Furthermore, deporting millions of people would decimate industries like agriculture, construction and hospitality that rely heavily on immigrant labor.
Many of those jobs are already facing labor shortages. Removing such a large workforce would lead to increased prices for goods and services and reduced productivity, ultimately harming the economy.
The social impact is equally troubling. Mass deportations would tear families apart, often separating children from parents, leading to trauma that affects children’s mental health and development.
Deportations disproportionately impact Latino communities, heightening racial tensions and fostering a climate of fear among immigrant families and their children, including U.S.-born citizens.
Instead of pursuing mass deportation, the focus should be on reforming our immigration system, providing pathways to citizenship and addressing labor shortages.
We must recognize that the immigrant community is integral to our economy and society.
The true cost of mass deportation is a weaker, more divided nation, economically poorer and socially fractured.
Brian Berry
Sequim