The History of US Immigration, and Why Trump Never Deported Many Illegals, Despite Harsh Rhetoric

Never has any issue been as politicized (and mired in disinformation) than immigration policy. In actual fact, deportations are way down from the late 20th Century (when Immigration authorities depended upon a “voluntary” deportation system, and many quickly returned). At present, deportation is complicated by Sanctuary Cities, Asylum seekers, and ever-more sophisticated ways to cross our borders. Trump in particular may have spoke harsh rhetoric about the border itself (building a Mexican-financed wall, stepping up border security), while quietly promising large farmers (and others) that supported him to maintain their cheap workforce.

The end of the “Bracero Program” (1942–1964) saw the beginning of many deportations (mostly Mexican citizens). Despite harsh words, Obama and others deported more than Trump. “Returns” were essentially voluntary, while “removals” required a legal process. The end of the Trump administration saw a spike in “expulsion”, a kind of expedited form of “removal”.

Herein lies the tale of America’s dirty secret…we demonize immigrants just as we depend upon them for cheap labor. This goes back to the Irish of the early 19th Century, the Italians and Jews of the late 19th, Eastern Europeans of the early 20th, and Mexicans of the late 20th century. I spent my teen years working in the Central Valley fields, later supervising construction. I can tell you that our Country is HEAVILY dependent upon low-cost Mexican labor, and that both political parties talk out of both sides of their mouths regarding the immigration issue. Trump, in particular, seems to have taken immigrant bashing to a new level of political…