GOP Divided Over Mass Deportation Plans as Hardliners Clash with Moderates on Immigration Strategy

U.S. Republican Tony Gonzales (R-San Antonio) warned that a mass deportation plan under a new Donald Trump administration would be unrealistic and damaging to his Party. Deporting millions indiscriminately, including elderly relatives, would damage the GOP's image, Gonzales added, and the focus should be on deporting "hardened criminals," not the broader undocumented population.

His comments have sparked a fierce response from Rep. Chip Roy, a hardline conservative from Texas who believes all undocumented immigrants should be deported. Roy, a prominent figure in the House Freedom Caucus, criticized Gonzales' position, saying that anyone who entered the U.S. illegally should be removed. Roy also called for a halt to legal immigration until the issue of undocumented immigration is resolved.

Trump has promised to remove over 11 million undocumented immigrants, a plan that could also impact more than 1.7 million people in Texas alone, as the Texas Tribune reported. To execute his immigration agenda, Trump's plan includes declaring a national emergency and deploying military resources. While the deportation proposal has been strongly denounced by Democrats and immigrant rights activists, Trump's team has already begun preparations. Among the most vocal proponents of the plan are Stephen Miller, the architect of Trump's previous border policies, and Tom Homan, the former acting head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), who has been named Trump's "border czar."

Critics argue that such mass deportations would be logistically complex, especially when considering the number of tax-paying residents and long-term undocumented immigrants currently in the U.S. In particular, Gonzales has pointed out that the number of convicted criminals among the undocumented population is already in the hundreds of thousands, making the deportation of this group a significant challenge. He also warned of the economic and political toll such a move would have on the party.

Supporters of the plan, like Roy, have remained resolute, demanding action from Congress. House Speaker Mike Johnson echoed the sentiment, urging the focus to begin with the most dangerous individuals. "Start with the criminals and then see how it develops," Johnson said in a recent CNN interview.

Meanwhile, Democrats and immigrant rights organizations have been pushing back. The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit demanding transparency regarding the deportation plans. U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-El Paso) cautioned that the mass deportation initiative could affect mixed-status families, including legal U.S. residents.

Despite the debate, Congress has failed to pass significant immigration reforms, leaving immigration policy to be determined by executive action. Although some Republican-backed border security bills have been passed in the House, such measures have not advanced in the Senate.