WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Immigration continues to be a controversial topic as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office this month for his second term.
Trump said the border is one of the issues he plans to tackle in his first 100 days in office with mass deportations.
He said he wants to prioritize people with criminal history but his goal over the next four years is to deport anyone who is here illegally.
National Politics
Support for deportations drops when Americans consider potential consequences
"All of it is going to be negative," Rolando Chang Barrero, the former president of the Democratic Hispanic Caucus in Florida, said. "We are a country that's built on immigrant labor."
He said mass deportations will impact the state's tourism, construction and agriculture workers.
"That doesn't just include Latinos, but it's a lot of the Haitians, a lot of the islanders, a lot of the Europeans that are also here," Barrero said.
According to Reuters, during Trump's first term 1.5 million people nationwide were deported. That figure is more than President Joe Biden's four years in office but fewer than both of former President Barack Obama's terms.
"Do you feel like he's going to be able to deport all of the undocumented immigrants in the next four years?" WPTV reporter Joel Lopez asked.
To the Point
What's the impact of possible mass deportations in Florida?
"No," said Barrero.
He's worried undocumented workers may be placed in jails and other detention centers while they're being processed for deportation.
"The pro would be to fix the immigration process, the acceptance process and denial," Barrero said.
According to the American Immigration Council, to deport the estimated 11 million undocumented people in four years, the United States would need 66 times more ICE detention capacity than currently exists.
"Immigration is a topic that has a lot of people divided," Lydia Maldonado, the president of the Latino Republicans of Palm Beach, said. "If we want to have the American dream we have to do things right."
She said mass deportations may help the immigrants who are waiting for their documents to be processed so they can come to the country legally.
"Personally, I want to tell the Hispanic community don't be afraid, do things right, get your paperwork done," Maldonado said.
Trump has also stated he wants to find a way to keep undocumented people in this country who were brought in as children — also known as Dreamers.
Trump also said he wants to end birthright U.S. citizenship on his first day in office.
