3 days Ago
A Republican mayor on the U.S.-Mexico border has voiced concerns over the potential economic effects of President-elect Donald Trump 's flagship mass deportation policy.
Javier Villalobos, the mayor of McAllen, Texas, recently told ABC affiliate WFAA that mass deportations would create issues with the American economy. Newsweek contacted Villalobos and the Trump transition team for comment via email outside normal office hours. Why It Matters A key aspect of Trump's immigration policy is the removal of millions of undocumented immigrants.
However, lawmakers and business leaders have expressed concerns over the consequences the policy may have on the economy. Almost half of the agricultural workforce in the U.S.
consists of undocumented immigrants , according to the Department of Agriculture, so Trump's contentious mass deportation plan presents significant challenges for the nation's farmers. What To Know The incoming president strongly supports the swift deportation of individuals living in the U.S.
illegally, with a focus on those who have committed serious criminal offenses. Speaking to WFAA, Villalobos said of mass deportations, "I think if it were to happen, I think we're going to have issues with our economy." He added, "There's a lot of people that can be very productive, and we should try to help them come here and produce for us and assist their families.
" In addition to his mass deportation proposals, Trump has pledged to slap a 25 percent tariff on all goods from Mexico if the country does not clamp down on immigration and illicit narcotics. "Our economy, especially post-COVID, has been tremendous," Villalobos said. "A lot of it has to do with importing and exporting.
If it were to be reduced, it wouldn't just affect here because many goods are shipped out, both south and north. It's going to affect everybody." According to the American Business Immigration Coalition, if Trump's flagship policy is implemented, agricultural output could drop between $30 billion and $60 billion.
What People Are Saying Mayor Javier Villalobos of McAllen, Texas, told WFAA : "The work ethic of the American people is not what it used to be. And a lot of the time, these immigrants are the ones that assist. And I've seen it over and over again .
.. I have also always said that we need immigrants, that we need people to come and support their families and assist our economy.
" Joseba Martinez, a macro- and financial economist at London Business School, told Newsweek : "Deportations don't make sense as economic policy, and attempts to pitch deportation as redistributive policy are totally disingenuous. "If redistribution to lower incomes or increased labor force participation are the desired outcomes, earned income tax credit (among any other policy) is the way to do this. "Deportations are a cultural preference that would be costly in economic and human terms.
The costs would mostly be borne by the U.S. itself and the small Central American countries.
" Jennifer Tilton Flood, a dairy farmer from Maine, previously told Newsweek in a press call : "The idea of mass deportations is frightening and scary, just on a humane level, with regards to our community. Mass deportations could affect our entire dairy industry throughout the U.S.
" Representative Tony Gonzales, who serves Texas' 23rd Congressional District, previously told Newsweek : "There's not one industry that is not tied to the U.S.-Mexico border.
" What Happens Next With Trump poised to return to office in 21 days, the incoming administration is already preparing to implement his hard-line immigration agenda. The former and future president has pledged to sign a series of executive orders on his first day in office, focusing on mass deportations and border security..
