The Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on Nov. 10 to discuss President-elect Donald Trump’s plan for mass deportations.
During his campaign, Trump suggested using the U.S. military to assist in deporting millions of illegal immigrants.
Ret. Army Major General Randy Manner testified at the hearing that deploying troops for deportation goes beyond the military’s traditional role and could impact national security readiness.
“Placing our military in this role could harm both the institution of our Armed Forces and its members,” Manner stated.
While some senators focused on the potential dangers posed by illegal immigrants, Sen. Lindsey Graham highlighted that a significant percentage of those deported under Trump had pending criminal issues.
Sen. John Cornyn emphasized the public’s frustration with border lawlessness and the large number of illegal immigrants with final deportation orders.
On the other hand, Sen. Alex Padilla raised concerns about the high cost of Trump’s deportation plan, including the need to hire ICE agents and build detention facilities.
Aaron Reichlin-Melnick warned that mass deportations would be a costly mistake for taxpayers and could lead to economic instability.
Foday Turay, an assistant district attorney, shared his personal story of fleeing violence and growing up as a successful individual in the U.S., emphasizing the positive contributions of Dreamers to society.
Some senators suggested a compromise of deporting only those with criminal records, as highlighted by Sen. Ted Cruz, who presented data on criminal illegal aliens in ICE’s docket.
Patty Morin, whose daughter was killed by a deported illegal immigrant, also testified at the hearing, urging for stronger border security measures.
