Donald Trump’s record on immigration is a “failure,” according to David Bier, an immigration expert at the Cato Institute.
Bier, who has spoken out against Trump’s family separation policy in the past, shared his thoughts on social media about Trump’s likely approach to deportation if he returns to office... Continue reading here ▶
Predictions About Deportation Plans
Bier predicted that Trump would misrepresent his deportation efforts:
- In the first week, there will likely be highly publicized arrests by ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement). While these will target criminals already on ICE’s radar, Trump may also instruct ICE to arrest undocumented individuals who have no criminal record in the same areas.
- Bier claimed that Trump will likely sign an order on his first day in office allowing ICE to arrest anyone in the U.S. without legal status.
Misrepresentation of Arrests
Bier accused Trump of falsely labeling non-criminals as threats:
- Perla Morales-Luna, a single mother of three U.S.-citizen children, was arrested without charges. The administration falsely accused her of being a “human smuggling facilitator” but released her days later.
- Rosenda Perez-Pelcastre and Francisco Duarte-Tineo, parents of four children, were also arrested and falsely accused of running a “stash house.” They were released without charges.
- Daniel Ramirez, a DACA recipient with no criminal record, was labeled a “gang member” without evidence. His DACA status was revoked, but he was released quietly.
Failing to Address Real Threats
Bier argued that Trump’s policies during his first term diverted resources away from serious threats:
- In 2017, ICE officials were instructed to find “egregious cases” to justify arrests of non-criminals, but they failed to do so.
- Instead of focusing on criminals, Trump’s administration reportedly released individuals with serious offenses and weakened enforcement against criminal illegal entries.
