Handcuffed and standing in a queue, migrants who had entered the United Stated illegally, made their way towards military C-17 aircraft as Donald Trump made good on his deportation promise. The White House shared pictures of detained migrants on Friday and called the mass deportation ‘Trump’s strong message to the world”.
“Just as he promised, President Trump is sending a strong message to the world: those who enter the United States illegally will face serious consequences,” the White House said on X.
Two military aircrafts, each carrying about 80 migrants, flew from the US to Guatemala, as per a report by news agency Reuters.
“Guatemala and the United States are committed to putting an end to illegal migration and strengthening border security. Starting with two flights today,” the State Department said.
The development comes just days after Trump took oath as the President for his second term. The deportation of those who had entered the US illegally had been at the forefront of the Trump’s poll campaign, and was among the executive orders he had signed on Day 1 as President.
His January 20 executive order instructed the Pentagon to send as many troops as necessary to obtain “complete operational control of the southern border of the United States.”
He signed orders declaring a “national emergency” at the southern border. Trump then announced the deployment of troops to the area and vowed to deport “criminal aliens.
Soon after, the promised crackdown on illegal immigrants came into effect
On Thursday, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced “538 arrests” and “373 detainers lodged” in an “enforcement update” on X.
ICE asks law enforcement to hold non-citizens who have been arrested for crimes if they believe they can be deported under the law.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the “largest massive deportation operation in history is well underway.”
Estimates suggest there are between 11 and 14 million undocumented immigrants in the US, though Trump has claimed the number is closer to 20 to 25 million. His administration has prioritised the deportation of 655,000 individuals with criminal records and 1.4 million who have already received deportation orders.
The Pentagon has said that the US military would provide flights for deporting illegal migrants detained by authorities in El Paso, Texas, and San Diego, California.
(With inputs from Reuters, AFP)
