The Boston Globe made history on April 9 when it published a mock front-page cover that depicted what life would be like in the U.S. under a Donald Trump presidency.
The headline reads, “DEPORTATIONS TO BEGIN,” and the subheading is equally chilling: “President Trump calls for tripling of ICE force; riots continue”.
But would it really be that bad under a Trump presidency? As Wisconsin immigration lawyers, we’re always concerned about potential changes to immigration policy—even satirical ones.
What Does Donald Trump Say About Immigration?
Some quotes from the candidate include:
- “People are pouring across our borders unabated.
Public reports routinely state great amounts of crime are being committed by
illegal immigrants. This must be stopped and it must be stopped now.” – June
29,2015
- “As president … I would be very, very tough on
the borders, and I would be not allowing certain people to come into this
country without absolute perfect documentation.” – March
22, 2016
- “I will end forever the use of the H-1B as a
cheap labor program, and institute an absolute requirement to hire American
workers first for every visa and immigration program. No exceptions.” – March 4,
2016
(Although, to be fair, Trump later said he was “softening his position” and changed his statement to, “The H-1B program is neither high-skilled nor immigration: these are temporary foreign workers, imported from abroad, for the explicit purpose of substituting for American workers at lower pay. I remain totally committed to eliminating rampant, widespread H-1B abuse and ending outrageous practices such as those that occurred at Disney in Florida when Americans were forced to train their foreign replacements.”)
- “They’re going to have to go out. They can come back, but they’re gonna have to go out.” – November 11, 2015 (Trump made this statement when asked about sending 50,000 immigrants back to their native countries.)
Trump’s rival, Senator Ted Cruz (R—TX), said that he favors police patrols in “Muslim” neighborhoods:
- “We need to empower law enforcement to patrol and secure Muslim neighborhoods before they become radicalized.” – March 22, 2016
While this isn’t a comprehensive list of the presidential hopeful’s somewhat shocking remarks (here’s a list of 76 of the most notable), it does offer a quick glimpse into what a Trump presidency might look like if the candidate were able to stay true to his campaign promises.
<H2>Is Any of This Likely to Happen? </H2>
While many people initially believed Trump’s candidacy to be a joke, it turns out that relatively few of his campaign promises would actually be feasible… Including the ideas of “mass deportations,” the Great Wall of the U.S. (which would cost more in upkeep than it would cost to build), and his statements about H-1B visas.
Do You Need a Milwaukee Immigration Lawyer?
If you’re considering immigrating to the U.S., we may be able to help you. Call our team of Wisconsin immigration lawyers at 414-383-6700 or contact us online for a free case evaluation. We’ll be happy to assist you in any way we can.