Goldman Warns: The Iceman Cometh for Trump Voters

Mo Goldman, an immigration attorney based in Tucson, is sounding the alarm over the implications of current immigration policies under the Trump administration. Many supporters of former President Trump have repeatedly assured that enforcement efforts would primarily target criminals. However, Goldman warns that this belief does not exempt law-abiding immigrants from scrutiny.

In a pointed critique, Goldman notes the alarming stance of Thomas Homan, the new border czar, who views all undocumented individuals as criminals. During a recent press briefing, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt inaccurately claimed that all migrants without legal status have criminal backgrounds, disregarding the 2012 Supreme Court ruling in Arizona v. United States. This ruling clarifies that remaining in the U.S. without legal status, in itself, is not a crime and that states cannot arrest individuals solely based on their immigration status.

Goldman emphasizes a concerning shift in how the law is being interpreted, pointing out that, under the current administration, being undocumented is synonymous with being labeled a criminal. Even supporters of Trump, such as U.S. Reps. Mario Díaz-Balart, Carlos Giménez, and Maria Elvira Salazar, have expressed discontent as they advocate for the protection of Venezuelan and Cuban immigrants while sidelining others.

As an immigration attorney, Goldman has witnessed firsthand the erosion of prosecutorial discretion, a legal tool that previously allowed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to prioritize which cases to pursue. This tool considered factors such as age, length of time in the U.S., and family ties when determining deportation risks. Its elimination raises serious concerns about the fate of many immigrants who would otherwise remain in the country.

Moreover, Goldman argues that a troubling alliance exists between the government and private prison corporations, including GEO Group and CoreCivic, which profit significantly from the detention of immigrants. He highlights that these facilities rely on a steady influx of detainees—funded by taxpayer dollars at approximately $150 per day for each immigrant housed—to justify their operations and investments.

In light of these developments, Goldman urges individuals to take action. He encourages citizens to reach out to their representatives and advocate for humane immigration policies that recognize the contributions of all immigrants, rather than targeting them indiscriminately. The stakes, he argues, involve not just legalities but the very fabric of American communities and families.