Migrants make their comeback.
Mass Deportations and Their Impact on Vulnerable Immigrants
American President Donald Trump has taken aggressive measures to implement his mass deportation policies, utilizing presidential decrees, military deployments, and financial incentives. These strategies have resulted in a profound impact, particularly on the most vulnerable immigrants, including elderly individuals and those traumatized by past experiences.
Victor Rivera, a Salvadoran citizen who resided in the United States for 31 years, faced a harrowing return to his country of origin after being forcibly deported. Most of his memories of El Salvador were fuzzy, as he had left two decades earlier to support his mother. In Maryland, a state with a substantial Salvadoran community, he was suddenly arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
ICE handed Rivera handcuffs and refused his request for legal assistance, presenting a smartphone copy of a 2015 deportation order as justification. Rivera, who had lived in Maryland for three decades without incident, insisted that he had never received such an order. He was deported overnight, leaving behind his house, car, friends, and established life in the United States.
The Salvadoran government does not have updated statistics on the number of citizens returned to the country following the beginning of Trump's second term, making it challenging to quantify the scale of mass deportations. In the United States, however, the House of Representatives recently approved a package that includes a $45 billion increase for the construction of new immigrant detention centers and the hiring of 10,000 additional ICE agents. The increased enforcement suggests that deportations will continue to rise.
The average of three deportation flights per week remains constant, but the demographic makeup of those being deported is shifting. Mercifully Lopez, director of CIMITRA—an organization that helps Salvadorans reintegrate into their homeland—notes that the deported individuals are increasingly older men and chronically ill individuals who have spent significant periods in the United States. There are also reports of women and children, some of who were born in the country, being deported without proper documentation or support.
These vulnerable individuals face significant hardship upon their return. Rivera, now living in El Salvador, recounts a terrifying experience of detention and deportation, with little to no access to food, water, or basic necessities. When asked about reuniting with his mother, he expressed mixed emotions, feeling both joy and deep sadness at the loss of his past life in the United States.
CIMITRA is working to help immigrants like Rivera reintegrate into Salvadoran society and find employment. However, the sudden change from an hourly wage of $10-15 in the United States to less than $2 an hour in El Salvador presents a substantial challenge. In addition, the stigma attached to "returnees" in the community can create further barriers to successful reintegration.
The treatment of immigrants during the deportation process has also been a subject of concern. Immigration detention centers are alleged to have inadequate medical and psychological care, as well as poor living conditions that further exacerbate existing health issues among detainees. The constant fear of arrest and deportation has also led to reduced access to essential services and legal support.
While mass deportations are designed to reduce illegal immigration, the reality is that these policies disproportionately affect vulnerable individuals—the elderly, families, and those with long-standing connections to the United States. The humanitarian crisis caused by the rapid pace of deportations, combined with the dismantling of protections, leaves many stranded, homeless, and without hope for a better future.
- The increasing number of mass deportations under President Trump's policies, as seen in the case of Victor Rivera, has led to a rise in humanitarian concerns, particularly for vulnerable immigrants such as the elderly and those with long-standing connections to the United States.
- In the United States, the House of Representatives' recent approval of a package including funding for new immigrant detention centers and additional ICE agents suggests that the focus on immigration politics, crime-and-justice issues, and general-news topics centering around deportations will continue to be a contentious and pressing issue.
