Implementing Donald Trump’s mass deportation campaign could cost the federal government up to $88 billion per year on average, according to a new analysis. Trump has promised the “largest deportation operation” in US history but has not provided concrete details on how he would achieve this or at what cost. The analysis estimates the costs based on Trump’s pledge to deport the roughly 11 million people living in the US without legal status, potentially costing $88 billion annually.
The largest share of the cost would go towards building detention camps to arrest, detain, process, and remove immigrants, as well as hiring additional law enforcement officers and immigration judges. The analysis also highlights the economic impact of mass deportations, projecting a 4.2-6.8% drop in GDP, greater than the Great Recession, and a reduction in tax revenues for the government. Sectors like construction and hospitality, which employ many undocumented workers, would be especially affected.
The American Immigration Council, an immigrant rights advocacy group, published the analysis questioning how the US could carry out such a massive deportation operation and what the implications would be. The analysis also raises concerns about the impact on the US economy and the logistical challenges of removing millions of people. Trump’s campaign pledge to deport millions of immigrants without legal status, if implemented, could have far-reaching consequences for the country.
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