‘Mass Deportations’ Enters the Mainstream

Written by Anthony Constantini

What’s happening: Since the migrant crisis began in 2015, nearly 7,000 women in Germany have been raped or sexually assaulted by migrants. In the U.K., net migration stands at 672,000. Meanwhile, about 4 million migrants entered the U.S. during Joe Biden’s presidency. Now the Right is beginning to advocate for mass deportations.

Why it matters: While political fringes have always crusaded for mass deportations, recently Western populations are reacting harshly to ongoing mass migrations. Drastic measures could become reality.

• The numbers: Nearly 50 percent of Americans agreed with Donald Trump’s recent comment that migrants are “poisoning the blood” of the country. In Germany, the anti-immigration Alternative for Germany party (AfD) now ranks second place in popularity polls and, in some surveys, just outside the margin of error for first place.

• A little history: In the modern West, mass deportation isn’t a common occurrence. The most recent event in U.S. history was “Operation Wetback,” an Eisenhower-era operation which removed over 1 million illegal Mexican migrants.

In Europe: AfD members recently gathered to discuss how best to deport non-ethnic Germans. The U.K. is considering a plan to send migrants to Rwanda while their asylum claims are being processed.

In the U.S.: In response to the Biden administration’s unprecedented number of illegal migrant entries, Trump has called for “more deportations than Eisenhower.” Congressional Republicans are, for the first time, demanding border funding before supporting more foreign aid.

What might stop them: Judges in both the U.S. and Europe have blocked immigration policies of democratically-elected legislatures. The U.K. Supreme Court blocked the aforementioned Rwanda plan and, while Trump was president, Democrat-appointed judges blocked his Remain-in-Mexico policy. There are no indications that judicial resistance will cease.