Getty ImagesGabriela entered the United States more than twenty years ago, gasping for air under a pile of corn stalks in the trunk of a smuggler’s car.
Now a housekeeper in Maryland, the Bolivian national is one of at least 13 million undocumented migrants living in the United States – an umbrella term that includes those who entered the United States illegally, overstayed their visa or have a protected status to avoid deportation.
Across the United States, migrants like Gabriela are grappling with what the new Trump administration’s promise of mass deportations could mean for their futures.
In more than a dozen interviews, undocumented immigrants said it was a hot topic of discussion in their communities, in WhatsApp groups and on social media.
Some, like Gabriela, think it will have no impact on them.
“Actually, I’m not scared at all,” she said. “It’s the criminals’ business to worry about. I pay taxes and I work.”
“I’m undocumented anyway,” she added. “(So) how would they know about me?”
During an election campaign where immigration was a top concern among American voters, Trump frequently pledged to massively expel migrants from American soil on his first day in office if he were to return to the presidency.
But almost two weeks after his large electoral victory, we still do not know exactly what these immigration control operations will look like.
The president-elect insisted that cost would not be an issue and confirmed his intention to declare a state of national emergency to secure the necessary resources. But experts have warned that his promises can face enormous financial and logistical challenges.
His new “border czar,” Tom Homan, said undocumented migrants considered a threat to national security or public safety would be a priority. And he suggested that workplace raids — a practice ended by the Biden administration — could return.
Speaking to Fox News on Saturday, the former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement during Trump’s first term challenged the idea that “those who enforce the law are the bad guys and those who who break the law are the victims.”
“Which member of Congress, governor or mayor is opposed to eliminating threats to public safety in their community?” he asked, adding that the new administration would “deliver on the mandate that the American people gave to President Trump.”
The expulsion of migrants by American authorities is nothing new. More than 1.5 million people have been expelled under President Joe Biden, on top of millions quickly turned away from the border during the Covid-19 pandemic.
During the eight years of the administration of Barack Obama — whom some dubbed the “deporter in chief” — about three million people were expelled, particularly single men from Mexico who could easily be expelled from border regions.
The plans promised by Trump, however, are broader and more aggressive, including enforcement operations in the United States, far from the border. Authorities are also reportedly considering using the National Guard and military aircraft to arrest and ultimately deport people.
JD Vance, Trump’s running mate and incoming vice president, said evictions could “start” with a million people.
Yet some undocumented immigrants believe they will benefit from a Trump presidency instead of being deported.
“A lot of Latinos, those who can vote, did so because they think he (Trump) can improve the economy. That would be great for us too,” said Carlos, an undocumented Mexican who lives in New York. His son is an American citizen.
According to the American Immigration Council – a nonpartisan organization that researches and advocates for an overhaul of the US immigration system – more than five million Americans were born to undocumented parents and benefit from the security of American citizenship.
Carlos says he’s “a little” worried about getting caught in immigration raids. But that fear is mitigated by the possibility of an improving economy under Trump and more work.
“Things may be a little tense in our communities right now, but worrying is not the solution,” he said. “The best thing to do is to stay out of trouble and not commit any crimes.”
Getty ImagesMany people do not share this optimism and live in fear.
Among them is California resident Eric Bautista, nicknamed “Dreamer,” who benefits from a long-running program that protects from deportation those who were brought to the United States illegally as children.
At 29, Mr. Bautista has only fleeting memories of his life in Mexico, the country he was born in and left at the age of seven.
For the past four years, he has taught U.S. history to high school students, including how waves of immigrants from Italy, Ireland, China, Japan and Mexico arrived. settled in the country and have often faced xenophobia.
“I don’t think I’ve ever felt that way, even after more than 20 years here,” Mr Bautista told the BBC. “I feel like we are at a turning point, a new wave of nativism like the ones I teach.
“It’s just a future of fear and uncertainty for us.”
Advocates and legal experts said there was no guarantee that undocumented migrants without criminal convictions would not be ensnared in expedited deportation efforts.
Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, policy director of the American Immigration Council, said he anticipates an increase in “collateral arrests” – a term used in the first Trump administration to describe immigrants captured during enforcement actions , although they may not have been the originals. targets.
“Let’s say they go after someone with a criminal record and that person lives in a house with four other (undocumented) people,” he said. “We saw with the first Trump administration that they would arrest these people as well.”
In a recent interview with CBS, the BBC’s US partner, Homan was asked about a hypothetical situation in which a grandmother was caught in a “targeted” police operation targeting criminals.
When asked if she would be deported, Homan said “it depends.”
“Let the judge decide,” he said. “We will deport people who a judge has ordered deported.”
The arrest and potential removal of these collateral arrests would mark a dramatic shift from the Biden administration, which has focused on threats to public safety and expelling people soon after they are apprehended at the border.
While Homan recently dismissed suggestions that there could be “a massive sweep of neighborhoods” or the creation of large detention camps, the stock prices of companies that could be involved in building detention centers have jumped so high. ‘at 90% since the elections. These include publicly traded prison companies GEO Group and CoreCivic.
Undocumented migrants are employed throughout the U.S. economy – from agricultural fields to warehouses and construction sites.
Mr Reichlin-Melnick said operations targeting these workplaces could lead to “indiscriminate” detentions.
“I don’t think being a person without a criminal record (who) pays taxes protects anyone,” he said. “One of the first things Trump will do is get rid of the Biden administration’s law enforcement priorities. And we’ve seen that when there are no priorities, they will go after the easiest targets.”
The possibility of becoming “an easy target” worries many migrants, particularly those from families with mixed legal statuses. Their greatest fear is being separated.
Brenda, a 37-year-old Mexican-born, Texas-born “dreamer,” is currently protected from deportation, but her husband and mother are not.
Both of his children were born in the United States and are American citizens.
Although Brenda told the BBC she doesn’t believe “good people” would be the primary targets for deportation, she can’t escape the thought that her husband could be sent back to Mexico.
“It’s important for us to see our sons grow up,” she said. “Of course, the idea of being separated is scary.”
