Trump says immigration roundup will start
next week
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[June 19, 2019]
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S.
President Donald Trump repeated on Tuesday that immigration authorities
would next week target migrants in the country illegally in large-scale
arrests, but still gave no details about the planned action.
"They're going to start next week, and with people coming to our
country, and they come in illegally - they have to go out," he told
reporters at the White House before a trip to Florida where he will
formally launch his re-election campaign. Trump also praised Mexico for
action he said it has taken to stem the flow of immigrants to the United
States.
Former officials and immigration experts said it would be unlikely for
immigration authorities to move quickly to deport "millions" of people,
but Trump's tweet on Monday saying as much put cities around the country
on high alert.
Trump has made illegal immigration a centerpiece of his administration
and is likely to highlight it in his campaign for the 2020 election, but
so far he has not brought arrests and deportations up to levels seen in
President Barack Obama's first term as resources are stretched by an
influx of migrants at the Mexico border. Trump is fighting the battle on
two fronts, trying to stop migrants from coming in the first place and
deporting those who have been released into the United States.
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In March, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said arrests of
immigrants in the interior of the United States dropped in the first
quarter of the 2019 fiscal year, which began last October.
New York City's commissioner of immigrant affairs, Bitta Mostofi, said
Trump's comments are “part and parcel of an agenda that is seeking to
instill fear in immigrant communities that is hurting our ability to
advance our city’s interests.” Mostofi said New York has increased
resources for immigrant legal defense programs to respond to increased
enforcement actions.
ICE said on Tuesday that it will continue to conduct "routine targeted
enforcement operations" and referred questions about Trump's tweets to
the White House.
Any increase in ICE arrests would require additional detention space for
those arrested and processed before deportation.
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![](../images/061919pics/news_h7.jpg)
President Donald Trump talks to reporters as he departs the White
House on travel to Orlando, Florida from the White House in
Washington, U.S., June 18, 2019. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
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As of June 8, ICE had almost 53,141 people in adult detention
centers, much higher than the levels for which it is funded by
Congress, which would put logistical brakes on the possible scale of
any operation.
ICE's dedicated family detention centers are currently operating
below capacity, however, with a population of 1,662 as of June 17.
Mexico has pledged to do more on illegal immigration, in order to
stave of threatened U.S. tariffs on its goods.
"Mexico has been doing a very good job the last four days. ... I
appreciate the job they're doing," Trump said.
"Guatemala, likewise is much different than it was under past
administrations, so we'll see how that works out," he said.
Vice President Mike Pence suggested last week that Guatemala could
receive asylum seekers from its neighbors as a safe third country
agreement, which might force asylum seekers from other Central
American countries to seek refuge there before applying in the
United States.
Guatemala's interior minister, Enrique Degenhart, on Tuesday said
there was no such agreement yet.
"We have not said we accept being a safe third country. ... We're in
discussions to find a measure that suits both countries," Degenhart
told reporters, saying he welcomed that the United States saw
Guatemala as a "safe country."
(Reporting by Jeff Mason and Mica Rosenberg; Editing by Leslie
Adler)
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