By: Ashmar Mandou

With less than two months away from inauguration, President-elect Donald Trump has promised voters mass deportations, leaving the vulnerable immigrant communities with a range of questions, such as detainment and questions surrounding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). Recently, the appointment of “Border Czar” Tom Homan elevated fears of deportation leaving many elected officials, including Congresswoman Delia C. Ramirez voicing concern. “Today’s announcement that former acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director Thomas Homan will serve as “Border Czar” should make it clear to everyone that the Trump Administration will make good on their promises of mass deportation. We know *exactly* who Tom Homan is. He is the architect of the “zero tolerance” policy that separated thousands of migrant children from their parents with no plan for reunification. He demonstrates cold disregard for the U.S. citizenship of the at least 4 million children with an undocumented parent, suggesting to keep families together, they should be deported together.”

Congressman Ramirez continues, The Trump Administration’s goal is to inflict maximum damage on diverse American families, our children, and our communities. To that end, it is no surprise Trump wants Tom Homan at the helm. But let it be known, I will fight like hell to keep our families together, and our communities are ready to be an obstacle at every turn as he tries to implement his cruel, vile, gruesome plan.” According to a new report by Upwardly Global, immigrants are playing a vital role in Illinois by revitalizing communities across Chicago and rural areas alike. According to the report, immigrant entrepreneurs are helping drive prosperity in the state. Illinois is home to 19 Fortune 500 companies that were started by immigrants or children of immigrants. In total, 25.5 percent of all entrepreneurs in the state are immigrants; generating a total business income of $3.2 billion. While there are a plethora of questions surrounding the issue of deportations, below seem to be the most pressing concerns.

What role do states play in any Trump order to deport immigrants?
There are 11 million people living without legal authorization in the U.S., and Trump would have the authority, as president, to deport those people. But it would be very expensive to pay for the immigration officers, immigration judges, detention facilities, the plane flights and more that would be required to do so. Estimates on the cost of mass deportation range from US$88 billion a year to more than $300 billion. The administration is probably going to have to rely on state and local governments to help carry out these deportations. The president cannot legally force state and local governments to cooperate with immigration enforcement.

Could Trump still send federal immigration officers to a state that does not cooperate, in order to identify and detain immigrants?
States could not prevent the federal government from coming in to arrest and deport people – but they don’t have to help them, and could set up some obstacles. The federal government would have to provide all of its own personnel.  ICE could rely on local sheriffs or police in some states, like Texas, to identify and arrest immigrants and turn them over to ICE to deport. In other states, like Illinois, that want to protect immigrants from deportation, they can refuse to cooperate with federal authorities by not providing certain personal information on immigrants.

What are the other risks immigrants might be concerned about?
There are about 580,000 people who are living in the U.S. and are part of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program. DACA gives some people who came to the U.S. illegally as children the right to legally work, go to school and live in the country. The courts have already litigated that a president can lawfully terminate DACA through a certain process. People who apply for DACA have to state in their application that they are in the country unlawfully. So the government could prove that DACA recipients can legally be deported, and will have information on where they live.

If you are in need of help or have unanswered questions, organizations, such as Centro Romero, Howard Area CC, Instituto Del Progreso Latino, St. Augustine College, PODER, and Universidad Popular are better suited to help guide you.