US President Donald Trump has made the startling suggestion that all Americans who have committed violent crimes, including those who were born in the nation, should be deported. Trump said during a visit to a Florida migrant detention centre that some people should be expelled from the country despite being citizens. He called this contentious idea his administration’s “next job.”
Trump mentioned instances of citizens “hitting people with a baseball bat” and stated, “They’re not new to our country. They’re old to our country. Many of them were born in our country.” He then continued, “I think we ought to get them the hell out of here, too, if you want to know the truth. So maybe that will be the next job.”
Trump’s Comments Stir Legal Concerns
Trump’s comments immediately raised constitutional and legal issues. The 14th Amendment grants citizenship by birth, and current US law prohibits the deportation of American citizens. Current deportation laws only apply to non-citizens, i.e., illegal immigrants or green card holders with a criminal history.
But Trump has repeatedly pushed the limits of US immigration policy. This latest remark marks a potential intensification of his agenda and rhetoric in the run-up to the next election cycle.
From Immigration to Citizenship
Trump made the remark while visiting a migrant detention center, a venue that underscores his emphasis on border security and immigration enforcement. His turn toward attacking US citizens represents a sharp deviation from previous immigration narratives.
The president did not indicate how these deportations would be legally carried out or what criteria would be employed. There is no current law that justifies removing those who have US citizenship by birth.
Rhetorical Trial Balloon?
This might be a trial balloon, launched to test public and political response. Trump has offered brash proposals before—such as abolishing birthright citizenship—only to back down afterwards. Even so, his statements matter, particularly because immigration is a polarizing topic.
Should he pursue it, the proposal to deport American citizens might be met with immediate constitutional disputes and spark nationwide legal wars. For now, Trump has placed another layer on an already divisive immigration agenda.
