Trump Plans To Deport All Illegal Immigrants In The US And Remove Citizenship Based On Birth

The queue of vehicles at the cross-border post of the United States with Mexico. (Wikimedia Commons/Matt H. Wade)

JAKARTA - United States President-elect Donald Trump intends to deport all illegal immigrants in the country during his second term starting next year, but wants an agreement to protect immigrants called "Dreamers", he said in an interview broadcast on Sunday at the "Meet the Press with Kristen Welker" event on NBC News.

Republican politicians who won a second term at the White House by promising mass deportation are expected to declare illegal immigration a national state of emergency when he took office on January 20, utilizing resources from all federal governments to support a broad crackdown.

Trump also said he plans to take executive action on his first day in office to try to end citizenship based on birth, which gives citizenship to anyone born in Uncle Sam's country, regardless of the immigration status of their parents.

In an NBC News interview, Welker asked Trump if his plan was to deport everyone who didn't have legal status.

"I think you should," Trump said.

"It's a very difficult thing to do. You know, you have rules, regulations, laws," he said.

However, Trump said he wanted an agreement to protect "Dreamer" immigrants who were illegally brought to the US as children, saying Republicans were open to the idea.

The US Department of Homeland Security estimates that around 11 million immigrants will be illegally in the US in January 2022, although this figure is likely higher today.

It is known, during his 2017-2021 presidential term, Trump tried to end a program that provides deportation relief and work permits for immigrants, but was rejected by the Supreme Court.

Trump's plan to try to end citizenship based on birth is likely to face legal challenges. The right comes from amendments to the US Constitution and was supported by the precedent of the Supreme Court in 1898.

While speaking with Welker, Trump suggested Republicans may need to make constitutional amendments to address the matter - a difficult process.

"We may have to return to the people," he said.

Separately, the pro-immigration Council of America estimates that the move to illegally deport all immigrants in the US for more than a decade will cost US$88 billion per year.