In a rare sit-down interview with Time magazine, former President Donald Trump discussed his potential plans for a second term, including his stance on immigration. Trump did not commit to the full “Project 2025” effort to reclassify more of the federal government as political appointees, stating that civil service has both good and bad qualities. He also stated that he would leave abortion rights up to the states, even if it meant allowing states to jail women seeking abortions. Trump did not commit to pardoning individuals jailed for storming the US Capitol, indicating that he would review each case individually.
Trump addressed some of his more controversial comments, stating that some of them were meant as jokes, including his pledge to declare himself “dictator for a day.” He seemed surprised by the idea that some supporters would want to overturn the 22nd Amendment to allow him to serve more than two terms. Trump provided the most concrete details on his plan to deport undocumented immigrants, pointing to the Eisenhower-era Operation Wetback as a model. He stated that he would target between 15 million and 20 million undocumented individuals in the US.
While Trump’s deportation plans are ambitious, the exact number of undocumented immigrants in the US is unclear. Pew Research Center estimated around 10.5 million undocumented migrants in 2021. Trump plans to use local police forces and potentially the National Guard to carry out his deportation efforts, despite laws preventing the use of the military against civilians without congressional approval. He also repeated conspiracy theories about Chinese males embedding themselves in the US.
Trump downplayed the idea of massive detention camps for migrants, stating that he would deport individuals quickly. He suggested using federal money to pressure local police into cooperating with his enforcement efforts. Trump acknowledged that his actions would likely face legal challenges and stated that he would comply with the decisions of federal courts. Despite his controversial immigration plans, Trump expressed respect for the Supreme Court and emphasized his determination to crack down on immigration.
