The incoming Trump administration is reportedly considering a high-profile raid targeting undocumented immigrants early in its term. The raid, which could take place in the first days of the new presidency, is being planned for a workplace in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.
According to three sources who spoke to NBC News, the Trump transition team has discussed with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials about the resources and logistics needed for such an operation. The team is particularly interested in conducting workplace raids, which typically involve swift actions by ICE agents to arrest workers suspected of living in the U.S. illegally and working without authorization.
The sources highlighted that potential targets could include businesses in industries such as agriculture, construction, hospitality, and healthcare. No final decisions have been made regarding the specific location or timing of the raid, though it is expected to occur in the early days of Trump's presidency, possibly even on Inauguration Day.
These discussions indicate the incoming administration's focus on large-scale deportations, not just of immigrants with criminal histories but also those who have entered or worked in the U.S. without legal authorization potentially for years. This approach aligns with one of Trump's key campaign promises to carry out "the largest deportation operation in the history of the United States."
Workplace raids, however, can be logistically complicated and costly. They require significant manpower and a lengthy investigation to ensure that enough undocumented workers are present at the targeted location.
While Trump's first term saw workplace raids based on a strategy from the George W. Bush administration, the Obama and Biden administrations shifted focus to targeting employers violating labor laws, rather than orchestrating mass arrests of workers. The Trump transition team did not respond to NBC News's requests for comment.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has started a multimedia campaign in southern border states to share the stories of asylum seekers from Mexico, El Salvador, and Cameroon in an effort to slow down President-elect Donald Trump's proposed mass deportation plan.
Immigrant rights and civil liberties groups are planning protests and legal challenges that could also pressure Democratic-led states and cities to resist helping the Trump administration with deportations.
As Trump prepares to take office, some experts and business leaders are have expressed concern over the potential economic consequences of his proposed mass deportations as undocumented workers play a crucial role in several key sectors.
A report by Democrats on the Congressional Joint Economic Committee (JEC), based on data from the Peterson Institute for International Economics, estimates that deporting 8.3 million undocumented immigrants could cut the GDP by 7.4% and reduce employment by 7% by 2028. This might lead to no economic growth during Trump's potential second term.
Another study, conducted by the National Foundation for American Policy, revealed that, by 2052, the only source of labor force growth in the U.S. will come from immigrant workers. In fact, in the last 6 years, immigrants and their children have added 5.4 million workers, resulting in a net increase of over four million in the labor force.
Latinos are significantly contributing to the country's GDP, impacting in industries such as manufacturing, public administration, accommodation and food services and transportation. Besides, Latino-owned small businesses are fueling entrepreneurship in the United States, growing faster than any other demographic group. According to a McKinsey study, they created 36% of all new businesses in 2023, nearly double their 19% representation in the population.
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