Immigration hawks urge Congress and Trump administration to ‘start fast’ on mass deportation pledge
First on FoxA coalition of hawkish immigration groups is urging President-elect Trump’s inauguration, Republicans in Congress and officials in the incoming Trump administration to follow through on promises to launch a mass deportation campaign — not to back down or back down. Key issues and use the upcoming reconciliation process to put those promises into action.
“Signatory organizations and individuals write to express our support for keeping our promises to the American people,” the coalition said.
The 10 groups include Heritage Action for America, NumbersUSA, the National Immigration Enforcement Center and American Immigration Reform (FAIR). In their letter, obtained by Fox News Digital, they warned that work must begin immediately.
The Trump administration plans to detain illegal immigrants ‘on day one’ through us
Migrants line up outside an immigration center in Manhattan on January 5, 2024. (Barry Williams/New York Daily News/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
“Given the constraints of the congressional calendar, the threat of lawsuits from open-border zealots, the slow pace of regulatory action, and the complexity of promised law enforcement tasks, the work must begin in earnest immediately,” they say.
“Mass deportations and secure borders are not only cornerstones of public safety and national security, they are also critical ways to protect American workers and stop employers from acting recklessly,” they say. “Above all, they are not compromising other people’s policies or political priorities.”
Dem senator asks Noam how she works with Homan: ‘Who’s in charge?’
Trump has vowed to launch a “historic” deportation campaign and increase border security. Many Republicans in Congress have contested these issues, and polls show that many Americans view illegal immigration as a top issue.
The groups have repeatedly urged lawmakers to pass the 2023 House GOP border bill, which includes several measures to secure the border and limit the ability of immigrants to seek asylum. But now that the law is “a floor, not a ceiling,” they urge the incoming administration and Congress to first fund the budget reconciliation process.
President-elect Trump and Melania Trump arrive at Dulles International Airport on Saturday, January 18, 2025 in Dulles, Virginia. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
“Now, with unified government oversight and a critical window open, we’re ready to help you put together a bold reconciliation package that reflects President Trump’s commitment to the American people and the laws that govern and protect our nation,” he said.
Their recommendations for the settlement included “millions of deportations,” closing loopholes in immigration laws, funding for nonprofits, and more resources to “put the American worker ahead of foreign labor.”
They also warn lawmakers: “There is no mercy. (If you have to say there is not one, it is.)”
Click here for more coverage of the border security crisis
“It’s time to bring order to our immigration system and restore the rule of law. The American people are waiting,” they say.
Rosemary Jenck, policing director of the Immigration and Accountability Project, said Congress “must act immediately to deliver the resources, including ICE ERO officers and detention beds, before President Trump carries out the mass deportations necessary to reverse the damage done by the Biden administration.”
Click here to access the FOX NEWS app
Fox reported on Friday that the administration plans to begin mass immigration detention as soon as one day.
“What we’re saying to ICE is you’re going to enforce immigration law without apology,” border czar Tom Homan told “Jesse Waters Tonight.” “We’re going to focus on the worst, the public safety concerns first, but nobody’s off the table. If they’re in the country illegally, they’re in trouble.”
