This story was originally published in Spanish by La Opinion.
In his first post-election interview, President-elect Donald Trump confirmed December 8 that his administration would deport entire families, including American children, “if they want to be with their parents.”
“I don’t want to separate families,” Trump said in an interview on NBC News’ Meet the Press. “So the only way to not separate families is to keep them together and send them all back.”
Asked whether Trump would reinstate the so-called “zero tolerance” policy at the border, which led to the separation of migrant children from their parents, the Republican said it would all depend “on the family.”
Dreamers
“If they come here illegally, but their family is here legally, then the family has a choice. The person who came here illegally can leave, or they can all leave together,” insisted the president-elect, who takes office on January 20, 2025.
In his interview with NBC News, Trump also spoke about stripping birthright citizenship from children of undocumented immigrants, as well as an intention to engage with Democrats to help the “Dreamers.”
“We have to do something about the Dreamers because these are people that have been brought here at a very young age,” he said. “Many of these are middle-aged people now. They don’t even speak the language of their country.”
‘Dangerous and cruel’
Murad Awawdeh, president and CEO of the New York Immigration Coalition, said Trump’s position on deportations is “dangerous” and “cruel.”
“Trump’s latest statements reveal a vision for America that is as dangerous as it is cruel,” she said. “Rooted in fear, division, and an effort to dehumanize millions of immigrants, his agenda is a direct attack on the values that have long defined America: compassion and inclusion. By promising to carry out the largest mass deportation in history, Trump is not just targeting immigrant communities, he is attacking the very fabric of the country.”
Constant Fear
She said Trump’s deportation plan is creating a future of “constant fear” among immigrant families.
“As we approach Trump’s second term, we must remain united in rejecting his white supremacist agenda,” Awawdeh said. “We cannot allow this vision of cruelty, exclusion and fear to become our reality.
