Allies of former President Donald Trump, along with some private sector partners, are quietly laying the groundwork for large-scale detentions and deportations of undocumented immigrants in the U.S., according to multiple sources familiar with the discussions. With Trump’s victory in the 2024 election, these preparations are expected to intensify in the coming weeks.
Trump’s approach to immigration was a central issue in his campaign, where he focused more on interior enforcement than his 2016 emphasis on building a border wall. While on the campaign trail, Trump repeatedly promised mass deportations, a plan that has now moved into the implementation phase among his advisers and some private sector partners.
A Priority on Day One
Jason Miller, a senior adviser to Trump, confirmed that restoring his previous administration’s immigration policies will be one of the new president’s top priorities. A major part of this agenda is expected to be the reinstatement of policies that were reversed by President Joe Biden.
Sources close to Trump’s transition team suggest that initial plans focus on deporting immigrants with criminal records, although the treatment of individuals who were brought to the U.S. as children—so-called “Dreamers”—remains a topic of debate. Targeting Dreamers would be a significant shift from bipartisan support they have historically received, particularly under the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.
Logistical Challenges and Private Sector Support
The scale of deportation efforts will require significant logistical coordination. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has long faced challenges due to limited detention space, a problem both Republican and Democratic administrations have struggled with. The federal government contracts with private companies and county jails to operate detention facilities, a model that the Trump administration is expected to continue.
John Sandweg, former acting director of ICE under the Obama administration, explained that while ICE manages the overall operations, the facilities themselves are largely run by contractors. He noted that the Trump administration would likely rely on existing contractors to speed up the process.
However, the costs of deportation could be a significant hurdle. In 2016, the average cost of apprehending, detaining, processing, and deporting one undocumented immigrant was approximately $10,900. Transportation to a home country added an additional cost of $1,978 per deportee. These costs have risen since then, and officials warn that ICE’s underfunding could limit the effectiveness of large-scale deportation efforts.
Challenges in Implementation
Securing the necessary funds to carry out mass deportations will be a key challenge for the incoming administration. One former senior ICE official pointed out that, while there are contractors available to handle detention, the cost of carrying out deportations could require substantial budget adjustments. “They would need to be aggressive to make sure they don’t have to reprogram funds,” the official said.
Another logistical concern is deporting immigrants to countries with stricter documentation requirements. While deportations to Mexico and Central America can be carried out relatively quickly, removals to other countries can take much longer, according to ICE officials.
ICE also faces challenges in holding immigrant families, as the responsibility for detaining unaccompanied minors falls under the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), not ICE.
Mixed Reactions at the Department of Homeland Security
At the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees immigration enforcement, the mood is one of uncertainty as officials brace for policy changes under Trump. One DHS official described the internal atmosphere as a “mixed bag,” with many wondering what will happen to Biden-era policies such as parole programs, which allowed some migrants to live and work in the U.S. temporarily.
Some within DHS are optimistic about Trump’s return to power, particularly after the Biden administration’s handling of multiple border crises. While Biden’s policies have led to a reduction in migrant crossings, they have also faced significant internal and external criticism, and some in the department feel that Trump’s policies could bring a return to stability.
“We’ve seen how difficult things have been in the last few years, and there is a lot of optimism and hope that this will bring the change needed,” one DHS official said.
As the Trump administration prepares to take office, the debate over immigration policy, detention space, and deportation procedures is likely to continue, with major shifts expected in the coming months.
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