Trump's Border Czar Details Family Deportation Plan

Tom Homan, President-elect Donald Trump's designated 'border czar,' has announced plans to resume family separations for undocumented immigrants, allowing families the choice to either deport together or face separation. Homan emphasized that the administration will not grant leniency to undocumented parents with U.S.-born children, stating, 'You knew you were in the country illegally and chose to have a child,' thereby placing families in difficult circumstances. The administration plans to construct 'residential centers' to detain families, a practice that was curtailed by President Biden, which has raised concerns among human rights advocates. Furthermore, Homan indicated that the mass deportation effort could target nearly 20 million individuals, with a hefty estimated cost of $315 billion. While Homan ruled out changing birthright citizenship laws, he acknowledged the challenges for U.S.-born children in mixed-status families, suggesting they might be placed in temporary housing if their parents are deported. Critics, including ACLU representatives, argue that such policies could inflict severe emotional and psychological harm on children.