 "US President Donald Trump")
US President Donald Trump has ordered immigration officers to ramp up deportations in America’s biggest cities, calling it the “single largest mass deportation programme in history,” in a move that has triggered fresh protests, lawsuits, and warnings from business groups about its impact on labour supply.
“ICE officers are herewith ordered, by notice of this TRUTH, to do all in their power to achieve the very important goal of delivering the single largest Mass Deportation Program in History,” Trump wrote on social media on Sunday, adding that efforts must be intensified in cities like Los Angeles, Chicago and New York “where millions upon millions of illegal aliens reside”.
This marks one of the most sweeping immigration directives of Trump’s second term, as his administration intensifies action against undocumented migrants, even while seeking to cushion fallout in key sectors like agriculture and hospitality.
Where are most migrants located?
The Migration Policy Institute said the states with the highest immigrant populations in 2023 were:
Also Read
California: 10.6 million
Texas: 5.5 million
Florida: 5 million
New York: 4.5 million
New Jersey: 2.3 million
In terms of share of population, California had the highest proportion of immigrants at 27 per cent, followed by New Jersey (24 per cent), New York (23 per cent), Florida (22 per cent), and Nevada (19 per cent).
City-wise, the New York metro area had the largest immigrant population at 5.9 million, followed by Los Angeles (4.2 million), Miami (2.6 million), and Houston and Chicago (1.7 million each). According to the same dataset, nearly 42 per cent of Miami’s population was born abroad.
Unauthorised immigrants in key states
Data from Pew Research Centre shows that from 2019 to 2022, the number of unauthorised immigrants rose in six states: Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Texas. Only California saw a decrease.
In 2022, around 8.3 million US workers were unauthorised immigrants—up from 7.4 million in 2019. Nevada had the highest share of unauthorised immigrants in the workforce at 9 per cent, followed by Texas and Florida (8 per cent each), New Jersey, California, and Maryland (7 per cent each).
Labour shortages trigger carve-outs
Although the federal government is pressing ahead with mass deportations, it has paused worksite enforcement operations in sectors like farming, hotels and restaurants, where undocumented migrants form a large part of the workforce.
The move comes after Trump publicly acknowledged the disruption in rural communities and industries that rely on immigrant labour. “We will address workforce gaps in essential industries like agriculture and hospitality,” he said during a speech last week.
Earlier data this month showed a drop in the US labour force in May, partly due to the sharpest back-to-back decline in foreign workers since the start of the pandemic.
Protests erupt across cities
The crackdown has fuelled protests across the US, with hundreds of cities witnessing rallies over the weekend. In Los Angeles, demonstrations turned violent after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids. Protesters set vehicles on fire, prompting Trump to send in the National Guard despite objections from city officials and California Governor Gavin Newsom.
Trump also deployed around 700 active-duty Marines to protect federal buildings. “Federal assets will safeguard our property and support enforcement actions where needed,” he said.
Newsom has filed a lawsuit challenging the president’s use of the National Guard. A lower court limited their deployment during protests, but that order is now under review by a federal appeals court panel.
Public support divided
A new Reuters/Ipsos poll found that while Trump’s overall approval rating remained steady at 42 per cent in early June, support for his immigration approach slipped to 44 per cent from 47 per cent in mid-May.
Despite this, concern over illegal immigration remains high, with 63 per cent of respondents saying they were worried about the issue.
Trump’s directive was issued while he was en route to the Group of Seven leaders’ summit in Canada.
