Trump to start deportations using existing law enforcement

Trump administration is preparing to dramatically increase deportations of illegal immigrants by using current law enforcement rather than launching new large-scale operations.

President Donald Trump, who campaigned on implementing "the largest deportation program of criminals in American history," could begin targeting an estimated 11.4 million illegal immigrants immediately through established partnerships between federal agents, local police, and detention facilities.

Immigration attorneys and advocates expect the Trump administration to achieve its goals without conducting workplace raids or street-level roundups. 

Instead, the existing deportation framework, which has resulted in 70% of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests coming from local police and federal prison transfers over the past decade, could be expanded.

The administration's approach could follow the Texas model, where state officials have spent more than $3 billion toward immigration enforcement in the past few years. 

These funds support state police and National Guard operations along the Texas-Mexico border to arrest, detain, and prosecute border crossers, including asylum seekers.

Texas has also prosecuted thousands of illegal immigrants for misdemeanour offences before transferring them to federal custody for deportation. 

The state passed legislation in 2017 requiring local and state entities to cooperate with federal immigration officials.

However, a 2023 law making illegal entry a state crime remains pending due to ongoing legal proceedings.

"What's going on in Texas could become a model around the country," says Setareh Ghandehari, advocacy director at Detention Watch Network, talking about how Texas uses its criminal justice system to capture illegal immigrants.

Current law allows for deportation of immigrants, regardless of legal status, if they face serious criminal charges such as murder, domestic violence, or drunk driving. 

Congress is considering expanding these criteria to include lesser offences, like shoplifting.

Trump could invoke the 1798 Alien Enemies Act, which grants presidential authority to detain immigrants during wartime.

Trump has not detailed specific plans for its use, but he did mention it in his inauguration speech.

With 1.6 million illegal immigrants in Texas alone, immigration advocates warn that intensifying deportation efforts through existing law enforcement channels could significantly impact communities nationwide without requiring new enforcement mechanisms or high-profile raids.