Arizona Republicans Rally Behind Trump’s Mass Deportation Plan: Is It Really Possible?

Former President Donald Trump has committed to executing the “largest deportation operation in American history,” targeting around 15 million people residing illegally in the country.

The current Republican Party platform reinforces this stance, emphasizing the party’s determination to send illegal aliens back and enforce the removal of those violating U.S. laws.

Arizona, a battleground state with a 370-mile border with Mexico, finds itself at the center of this debate. Opinions among Arizona delegates at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee were varied. However, all delegates agreed that bolstering border security remains a high priority.

“If you went to another country illegally, you’d be put in jail,” remarked Deana Puccinelli, a delegate from Pima County. She admitted that mass deportation might sound harsh but viewed it as a natural consequence for breaking U.S. laws.

The Department of Homeland Security estimated that as of 2022, approximately 290,000 people residing in Arizona were in the country illegally. Under Trump’s proposed plan, these individuals would face arrest and deportation, irrespective of the duration of their stay or their familial ties in the U.S.

Tyler Farnsworth, an alternate delegate from Tucson with grandparents who emigrated from Mexico, voiced skepticism about the practicality of mass deportations, stating, “Not everyone will agree with the right path. … I don’t think it’s an easy situation to solve.”

Public opinion on this issue is divided. An Axios poll conducted in March and April showed that 51% of voters and 45% of Latino voters supported the idea of mass deportations.

David Lara, an at-large delegate from San Luis near Yuma, dismissed concerns that Trump’s policies would alienate Latino voters. He argued that the nature of illegal immigration has changed over the years, becoming more dangerous.

As of 2022, the DHS estimated that around 11 million unauthorized immigrants were residing in the U.S. Trump has claimed this number could be as high as 20 million, surpassing even the highest estimates from groups favoring immigration restrictions.

Hispanic voter support for Democrats has also shown signs of waning. Pew Research noted that support fell from 72% in 2018 to 60% in 2022.

Despite the bold promises, Trump and his team have yet to outline the specifics of how such a massive deportation operation would be executed. Experts forecast astronomical costs due to the logistics of locating, apprehending, and deporting millions of people. The Department of Homeland Security currently lacks sufficient personnel and detention facilities to handle such an endeavor.

Trump has indicated he would call upon the National Guard and local law enforcement for assistance. However, the feasibility of such support is questionable, as the National Guard remains under the control of state governors unless federalized, and local law enforcement support would vary, especially in areas governed by Democrats.

Though Trump has distanced himself from it, the conservative Heritage Foundation’s “Project 2025”—a blueprint designed with input from some of his top advisers—proposes empowering ICE officers to detain and deport immigration violators anywhere in the U.S.

Trump adviser and former acting ICE director Tom Homan stated that the success of mass deportations “depends on the resources” available.

Another supporter, entrepreneur and former GOP candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, defended the policy, emphasizing, “No migration without consent … and those who enter without consent should be removed.”