US authorities began to fulfill promises on the deportation of illegal immigrants with the support of the White House and instructions from the new President Donald Trump. On Sunday, immigration and customs agents activated operations in Chicago together with the FBI and other agencies to ensure compliance with immigration legislation and to ensure public safety and national security by removing potential dangerous criminals from our communities.
"We will strictly uphold US immigration law and ensure the safety of the community and national security by removing potential dangerous criminals from our society," the agency stated in its announcement. It does not specify how many people were detained. Acting head of the Immigration Service, Emily Bowe, was in Chicago to observe the operation being carried out.
The Trump administration stated that their priority is to find illegal immigrants with warrants in the US and deport them. But the actions of the Immigration Service evoke discontent among local residents. Many voters support this policy, including their focus on other categories of illegal immigrants.
After the arrival of a new wave of refugees during the previous presidency of Joe Biden, the issue of immigration became a political obligation for Vice President Kamala Harris in the last elections in November. Public opinion polls show broad support for the idea of deporting criminals among illegal immigrants. Different opinions raise specific techniques and tactics that may be employed during such actions.
During this, people express views that legal pathways for obtaining legal status for law-abiding citizens residing in the US for many decades should be provided. Some believe that harsh tactics of the administration can cause backlash and aggression. All this occurs under increasing tensions in society over assessments of immigrants and ensuring border security.
Many Americans support the idea of deporting illegal immigrants, but at the same time, they demand more humane conditions and consideration of the specifics of each situation. There exists a balance between toughness and consideration of humanitarian aspects, experts on the given topic say. 43% of survey participants in November supported mass deportation, but consider that people without status need to be provided with legal pathways for regularization.
The increasing number of deportation operations in recent years indicates a serious approach to this problem on the part of the current and subsequent administrations. The issuance of visas to foreign citizens without prior agreements significantly increased the number of illegal immigrants. Many of them have lived in the US for decades and constitute an important part of society.
Born in Mexico, Marco Duran crossed the border into the southern US with his parents in the 1980s and obtained legal status thanks to programs administered by President Reagan. He believes that to ensure the safety of society, it is necessary to remove criminals and start with this, so as not to harm law-abiding citizens who contribute to the development of society.
