It’s Trump’s Policy, But Both Parties Set the Stage for Mass Deportations

Notes from America with Kai Wright

For nearly a decade, Donald Trump and his political allies have made it clear that one of their primary goals is mass deportation of undocumented people living in the U.S. After the election, this rhetoric is set to become a policy reality, affecting millions of people across all sectors of society.

While Trump and right-wing conservatives have proudly embraced an anti-immigration stance, it's important to recognize that Republicans aren't the only party that set the stage for mass deportations. Over the years, Democrats have also shifted rightward on immigration, increasingly echoing the foundational principles of conservative immigration policies. After all, there's a reason President Obama earned the nickname "Deporter-in-Chief": 3 million people were deported during his presidency.

As questions arise about what mass deportations will look like under a Trump administration, many wonder how it will differ from the current system. In our latest episode, host Kai Wright speaks with Jasmine Garsd, NPR's immigration correspondent and the host of The Last Cup, as well as Ronnie James, director of national community engagement for the UndocuBlack Network, an organization that supports Black migrants who are either currently or formerly undocumented. They explore how both parties have mishandled immigration over the years, the myths and misconceptions that shape immigration policy, the economic impacts of mass deportations, and what these policies could actually look like in practice. James also shares how people can get involved in efforts to push back against these policies.

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Notes from America airs live on Sundays at 6 p.m. ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts.