Immigration Advocates Are Lawyering Up, Stockpiling Cash Ahead of Trump's 'Flatly Illegal' Mass Deportations

Immigrant communities, advocacy groups, and employers across the U.S. are preparing for the potential impact of President-elect Donald Trump's promised large-scale deportations.

Trump's team plans to prioritize security along the US-Mexico border and focus initially on undocumented immigrants with criminal records. But the effort is expected to extend beyond this group, reaching deeper into communities, as Trump vowed to remove all undocumented immigrants.

The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is already mobilizing funds and legal assistance in response, and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is also preparing for potential legal battles. Lee Gelernt, an ACLU attorney involved in past immigration-related cases, said that the organization has been strategizing for a second Trump term for nearly a year, with a focus on opposing severe measures, including possible military involvement in deportations, which he described as illegal.

The National Immigrant Justice Center, on its end, has reiterated its commitment to supporting immigrants and refugees through legal representation and advocacy, aiming to maintain family unity and combat unjust detentions.

Some support Trump's approach, viewing it as necessary for dealing with those who have criminal backgrounds. Jorge Rivas, an Arizona restaurant owner and Trump supporter, told CNN he approved of measures targeting such individuals but emphasized that law-abiding residents should not be affected.

At a more general level, California's agricultural sector, reliant on migrant labor, is calling for immigration reforms that facilitate temporary work programs and legal status for current workers. Shannon Douglass, President of the California Farm Bureau, underscored the need to address chronic labor shortages in the industry.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass affirmed that the city stands with its immigrant population, emphasizing that no one should live in fear due to their status. The Los Angeles Unified School District also stated it would not cooperate with federal enforcement except as required by law, citing the negative impact such actions would have on students and families.

In New York City, religious and community groups are readying to assist immigrants. Rev. Chloe Breyer, director of the Interfaith Center of New York, highlighted the preparedness of various faith-based organizations to pivot their support to oppose stringent deportation actions.

New York City officials have reiterated their commitment to sanctuary laws, which limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. Manuel Castro, the city's commissioner for immigrant affairs, highlighted efforts to inform agencies about these laws.

South of the border, in Tijuana, Mexico, approximately 3,400 migrants await processing via the CBP ONE app. Concerns have arisen that potential policy shifts might lead to increased illegal crossings if appointments are canceled.

Trump is quickly moving ahead with his agenda, including two hardliners on the issue among his first appointments. He announced late Sunday that Tom Homan, a visible face of the policy that separated families during his first administration, will be his next "border czar."

Homan served during Trump's first term as acting director of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for a year and a half. He is also a leading figure in Project 2025, the document which Democrats said was the policy blueprint for his second term in office, something Trump rejected due to its hardline content.

Even though Trump himself has publicly said he ignores who's behind the project, he did keep tabs on Homan as he went as far as to say back in October that the former ICE head would be a part of his team if elected. Homan is also a visiting fellow at the Heritage Foundation and the president and CEO of Border911, a nonprofit warning of the supposed threats posed by undocumented immigrants.

And on Monday, CNN reported that Trump is expected to name Stephen Miller, a close ally and his top immigration adviser, to be his White House deputy chief of staff for policy.

Miller served as a senior adviser to Trump during his first term and was a leading voice in some of the administration most hardline measures regarding immigration. He also famously wrote Trump's speech on January 6, 2021, which preluded the assault on the U.S. Capitol by his supporters. Now Miller is expected to take an expanded role, the outlet added, quoting two people familiar with the plans.