Deportation is the removal, or expulsion, by a government agency of an individual from a country. It has historically taken on a much broader meaning, encompassing both banishment and transportation to penal settlements. The United States has long used its power of deportation to remove individuals who are deemed to have violated the law or to be a threat to public safety. In recent decades, however, the use of deportation has increased, particularly as the U.S. has pursued a “zero tolerance” policy on criminal behavior.
In order to initiate a deportation, the federal immigration court must have probable cause that the individual has committed a crime or poses a national security threat. Even if an immigrant has been in the country for years, they could be subject to deportation if there is enough evidence that their presence threatens national security or public safety. Deportation is a drastic measure that can have lasting impacts on families, communities and the economy. In many cases, the person deported can’t return to the U.S. for several years or ever, even if they have family members here who want them to stay.
A mass deportation campaign would have substantial costs, ranging from building new detention facilities to deploying local police forces as a force multiplier for enforcement efforts. In addition, the number of removal flights would need to be dramatically expanded, and a large part of that cost could come from the use of military aircraft if needed.
It is also important to consider the costs of deportation to the countries from which the migrants are being removed. Studies show that, when people are deported, they tend to return with significant debt accrued from financing their migration and face stigma and social isolation. In addition, they often experience a drop in formal wages in their communities of origin. This can create instability, generating new migration that would counteract the intended deterrence effects of return policies.
The consequences of deportation also affect people with lawful status in the United States and their communities. The loss of workers in key industries that rely heavily on unauthorized immigrants—construction, agriculture, hospitality, and housekeeping—could have ripple effects throughout the economy. These include a reduction in household incomes, and the need to fill vacant positions with U.S.-born workers, who would likely have to take lower-paying jobs.
In addition, the visibility of a massive deportation operation could change perceptions about the United States among immigrant communities and lead to fears of violence and vigilantism. Moreover, people living with mixed-status families—in which a family member has undocumented status but another is a US citizen—would be especially vulnerable to the impact of deportation on their family members. The potential for deportation may have an emotional impact on children as well. All of these effects are important to consider as the United States embarks on a path toward mass deportation. In the future, we hope to see a more balanced framework that can better evaluate normative subtleties regarding when legitimate governments can permissibly inflict harm through deportation.