One of President Donald Trump’s key promises to the American people has been the wholesale deportation of undocumented immigrants.
Every year, tens of thousands of migrant laborers and their dependents contribute considerably to Michigan’s agriculture and food processing industries, according to the state health department.
Advocates argue that the mass deportation plan endangers not only the lives these people have built in the United States but also the workforce in states such as Michigan, where they play an important role in local economies.
According to Susan Reed, director of the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center, deportations could raise the price of food.
“Employers are very likely to face employer-focused raids, and I would expect that to impact prices as businesses struggle to replace a workforce that is either no longer migrating or no longer present in the community,” Reed told me.
Trump has claimed that local law enforcement and the National Guard will carry out the operations, but the logistics of his deportation plan remain unclear. It’s unclear how this will play out, especially because local law enforcement forces have their own leadership structure and do not subordinate directly to federal authorities.
Furthermore, Reed stated that many local communities have adopted safeguards to protect their most vulnerable residents.
“Many local communities have adopted resolutions or ordinances stating that local resources can only be used to cooperate with immigration enforcement to the minimum extent required by law,” Reed said. “I certainly expect new federal laws or proposals aimed at forcing more cooperation. But for now, many local communities already have policies that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.”
Reed said that despite these local safeguards, her office continues to receive calls from worried Michigan residents, both documented and undocumented, who fear that Trump’s reelection will disrupt their lives.
“I’m hearing from my clients who are on the path to citizenship—some who have been granted asylum but don’t yet have a green card, others who have a green card but haven’t yet become citizens, and some who are citizens but are so traumatized by the process and by the rhetoric that they’re terrified of losing their status,” Reed said. “I try to reassure them, while being honest about the uncertainties ahead.”
While the future is uncertain, Reed stressed that deportation is frequently referred to as a “civil death,” and she advised vulnerable people to prepare for the worst—particularly those whose children have birthright citizenship.
Reed stated that parents should have power of attorney or, in Michigan, a delegation of parental responsibility in place. She asserted that this legal document can shield children from foster care placement in the event of their parents’ deportation.
She also advises parents to obtain and retain up-to-date passports for their US citizen children.
