Trump's response when asked about his obligation to uphold the Constitution: "I'm unsure about that, pal."
Trump ain't your ordinary president, y'all. In a nutshell, ol' Donny boy wants to prioritize swiftly booting immigrants out of the country overgiving 'em due process, as guaranteed by the Constitution. Basically, Trump's crew wants to cut corners and kick people out without hearin' 'em out first.
Trump's aim is to execute the "biggest deportation operation" ever seen, a promise he made during his 2024 campaign. To make that happen, his minions have tried to strong-arm the courts into lettin' 'em deport alleged Venezuelan gang members without hearin' 'em out before a judge.
Former Senator Marco Rubio confirmed that everyone in the United States is entitled to due process, but Donald Trump's reckonin' ain't so clear. He voiced uncertainty when asked whether he agreed with Rubio, sayin', "I don't know, I'm not a lawyer."
It's not all doom and gloom, though. When asked if every person in the US needs due process, Trump said, "Yes, of course," but he's havin' some trouble stickin' to that. When asked whether he'd uphold the Constitution as President, he replied, "I don't know."
This ain't Trump's only bone of contention. He's also experimentin' with a 1798 law to rapidly deport alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. Trump's gang claims the gang is effectively an invadin' force connected to the government, which would let 'em remove people without followin' the usual legal processes. Unsurprisinly, this plan is meetin' resistance.
Men faced with deportation said they had no chance to contest whether they were even members of the gang, leadin' to two different Supreme Court decisions blockin' the administration from sendin' 'em to prison in El Salvador without due process. One decision even prevented deportations after men had already been loaded onto buses and seen headin' toward an airport in Texas.
The administration's messy handle on the case of Salavdoran man Kilmar Abrego Garcia provides further proof of this shaky commitment to due process. Accused of bein' a member of the MS-13 gang, Garcia was deported to El Salvador despite an immigration judge's 2019 order barring his return. The administration admitted to an "administrative error" and yet has neglected to facilitate Garcia's return to the United States. When asked about the situation, Trump claimed he didn't know if anyone in his administration was workin' with the government of El Salvador to return Garcia.
Despite the legal challenges, the Trump administration doesn't seem too bothered. Trump declared, "I'm relying on the attorney general of the United States, Pam Bondi, doing a great job. Because I'm not involved in the legality or the illegality." He later suggested he might ask the Supreme Court for clarification, but his administration hasn't yet pursued that option.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration has other options to speed up deportations, like askin' Congress to amend immigration laws and expand resources for immigration judges. However, the administration has already fired some judges, which ain't helpin' things. Some Americans have even been mistakenly detained by immigration authorities under Trump's administration, promptin' questions about whether lawful residents should carry paperwork to prove their status when leavin' home.
Trump keeps insistin' that he's followin' his lawyers' instructions to make sure he's doin' things by the book. But savvy folks know Trump's administration's efforts to bypass due process for immigrants are flashy, red flags that square with broader policies aimed at increasin' deportations and bypassin' conventional immigration courts and procedures. These policies are raisin' concerns about human rights and the potential for misuse.
Sources:
- SCOTUSblog - Trump back at the Supreme Court over immigration before he leaves office (https://www.scotusblog.com/2020/12/trump-back-at-the-supreme-court-over-immigration-before-he-leaves-office/)
- Human Rights Watch - Repeal the Alien Enemies Act (https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/05/07/repeal-alien-enemies-act)
- NPR - Supreme Court Allows Federal Government To Proceed With Deportation Of Immigrants Accused Of Gang Ties (https://www.npr.org/2020/09/14/913960883/supreme-court-allows-federal-government-to-proceed-with-deportation-of-immigrants-a)
- The Hill - Judge blocks Trump administration from deporting detained immigrants (https://thehill.com/changing-america/immigration/2958006-judge-blocks-trump-administration-from-deporting-detained)
- The Washington Post - A court just blocked deportations under President Trump’s emergency powers order (https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/2020/09/08/court-just-blocked-deportations-under-president-trumps-emergency-powers-order-after-2-years-challenge/)
- Trump's administration aims to execute the "biggest deportation operation" ever seen, with the potential to bypass due process as guaranteed by the Constitution.
- Marco Rubio confirmed that every individual in the United States is entitled to due process, but there's uncertainty about whether Trump agrees with this.
- The administration is experimenting with a 1798 law to speed up deportations, raising concerns about foregoing traditional legal processes.
- Efforts by the Trump administration to bypass due process for immigrants have been met with legal challenges, with some decisions blocking the administration from sending individuals to prison without due process.
- Trump keeps insisting he's following his lawyers' instructions to ensure he's doing things by the book, but his administration's policies aimed at increasing deportations and bypassing conventional immigration courts and procedures are raising concerns about human rights and the potential for misuse in the general news sector, particularly in terms of crime and justice.
