Migrant families and immigration advocacy groups are bracing for potential mass deportations planned by President-elect Donald Trump, which could potentially separate up to 4 million mixed-status families in the United States. Families in states like Arizona, Colorado, and Pennsylvania are preparing for scenarios where children could be separated from their parents, with some taking steps like obtaining passports for their U.S.-born children and creating emergency packets with important documents. Advocacy groups are also preparing for state-level changes in immigration enforcement, such as Arizona’s Proposition 314, which aims to crack down on illegal border crossings and ramp up deportations.
President Trump has promised the largest mass deportation effort in American history, prioritizing criminal noncitizens for removal. Plans for mass deportations are still being developed, with considerations for restarting family detention and building more detention facilities in nonborder U.S. cities. Community interest in organizations offering support for undocumented and mixed-status families has increased since Trump’s win in the 2024 election, with concerns about the potential impact of state immigration laws and increased enforcement efforts.
Sheriffs in Arizona have expressed concerns about the implementation of Proposition 314, fearing that it will create distrust in the Latino community and strain their already stretched resources. In states like Colorado, where migrants have been bused to the area from Texas, community members are seeking legal assistance and making plans in case of deportations or family separations. Children are also expressing fears about potential deportation, highlighting the widespread anxiety and uncertainty facing immigrant communities in the current political climate.
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