The Trump administration has embarked on an ambitious plan to carry out the largest mass deportation program in US history, targeting millions of undocumented immigrants living in major cities across the country. According to a post by Trump on his Truth Social platform, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have been instructed to focus on deporting individuals from cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, where millions of undocumented immigrants reside.
The deportation drive has already seen significant numbers, with approximately 140,000 people deported as of April 2025, although some estimates put the number at roughly half that amount. The administration has also taken steps to revoke humanitarian parole programs, which will particularly impact hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans who had entered the US legally under a policy implemented by President Joe Biden. This move will revoke work permits and deportation protections for these immigrants, requiring them to leave the country or face removal.
One group facing potential deportation is the Hmong people, a Southeast Asian ethnic group that fled to the US as refugees after the Vietnam War. The Trump administration has reportedly entered into conversations with the Laotian government to deport thousands of Hmong residents to Laos, sparking concerns among community leaders and lawmakers. A proposed bill, the Hmong and Lao Refugee Deportation Prohibition Act, aims to block the Trump administration’s plan and reopen the immigration cases of affected individuals.
The deportation drive has been met with criticism and legal challenges, with many arguing that the administration’s actions are inhumane and violate due process rights. Immigration lawyers and former judges have described the administration as taking multiple actions to bypass immigration courts and the right to due process, including moving protections from deportation and canceling grants to provide legal representation to children. The Supreme Court has granted a stay on some of the administration’s deportation policies, allowing the court to review the cases.
As the deportation drive continues, many are left wondering about the impact on the US economy and society. With millions of undocumented immigrants living and working in the country, the potential consequences of mass deportation are far-reaching. The administration’s plan has sparked heated debate, with some arguing that it is necessary to enforce immigration laws, while others see it as a cruel and unnecessary measure that will cause widespread suffering.
