Fear for the future of undocumented immigrants as Trump takes office

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Fear for the future of undocumented immigrants as Trump takes office

Fear and uncertainty for an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S.

Many are anxious to see how Donald Trump’s campaign promises on deportations and building a wall on the Mexican border translate into reality.

CGTN’s May Lee reports.

It’s all hands on deck at the Coalition for Humane Immigration Rights of Los Angeles, as a team of lawyers and legal experts are preparing for President-elect Donald Trump and his promise to deport millions of undocumented immigrants that he said have criminal records. But opponents argue the plan is not viable.

According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, agriculture production would quickly drop 9 percent. Construction, leisure and hospitality would suffer an 8 percent decline over the long term.

Besides economic losses, immigration enforcement will require a huge increase in spending on resources needed to handle the deportation process.

But there’s a big problem with the process. Right now, there’s a backlog of more than half a million people in immigration courts in the U.S. with fewer than 300 presiding judges, which means cases can be delayed up to four years. So adding a few more million cases to the mix would create more problems for an already strained system.

“Gloria”, not her real name, and her husband are two of the more than 2.5 million undocumented immigrants in California. Since coming to the U.S. from Mexico 30 years ago, the couple has raised a family and built a successful jewelry business. But Trump’s threats have the couple and their four U.S.-born children fearing the worst.

“I want to stay in my house, my country. I, I have to keep fighting. (May) Because this is your country to you. This is my country. I feel like my country. More than 30 years, it’s my country, my house,” “Gloria”, undocumented immigrant said.

There is a glimmer of hope for Gloria. Los Angeles is one of 300 sanctuary cities that will not cooperate with federal immigration policies. Trump has threatened to cut off federal funding to those cities. All the more reason immigration advocates are preparing for a fierce battle.


Many former migrants returning to Mexico

President-elect Donald Trump has promised to deport 3 million undocumented immigrants. By comparison, the Obama administration has deported some 2.5 million.

In one rural town in Mexico, 80 percent of the population migrated to the Untied States. But many have returned.

CGTN’s Franc Contreras reports.
Follow Franc Contreras on Twitter @FrancMex

As more former migrants return, the same problems, including a lack of good paying jobs, faced in this rural village, are being repeated throughout the country. The incoming Trump administration plans to deport even more migrants. Immigration professor Norma Baca says Mexico is not prepared.


David Leopold talks about undocumented immigrants under Trump

To discuss the future for the millions of undocumented immigrants in the U.S and those facing possible deportation under Donald Trump, CGTN’s Asieh Namdar spoke to David Leopold, former president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association.