The Donald Trump administration is working on a plan to deport 1 million illegal immigrants by the end of this year, the Washington Post reported on Dec. 12 (local time). According to the report, the White House is planning the largest deportation operation in history in collaboration with relevant federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security.

On Nov. 12, the day after a U.S. court ruled that Columbia University student Khalil, who led the Palestinian student protest on campus, could be expelled, protesters rally and march for Mahmoud Khalil in Times Square, New York. /Courtesy of Reuters=Yonhap News

According to multiple sources, Stephen Miller, the White House's immigration policy chief, is holding daily meetings with the Department of Homeland Security and others, and although deportation orders have already been issued, the focus is on the 1.4 million individuals who have not yet been returned. To this end, the White House is negotiating with over 30 countries to accept the immigrants. Countries such as Mexico, Costa Rica, and Panama are already known to accept some deportations.

Deputy White House Press Secretary Kush Desai stated, "Voters demanded that President Trump strengthen border and immigration control," adding, "The government is making every effort for substantial large-scale deportation enforcement, not vague goals."

If the deportation of 1 million becomes a reality, it would be the largest single-year figure in U.S. history. The previous record was about 400,000 during the Barack Obama administration.

However, there are skeptical views about the feasibility. Many illegal immigrants in the U.S. get a chance to explain themselves in immigration courts before deportation, and the process can take from several months to years. Even criminals go through the same legal procedures.

In addition, tracking and deporting the 1.4 million immigrants who refuse to return to their home countries requires significant manpower and administrative resources. Accordingly, the White House has requested an expansion of the budget to strengthen the deportation process from Congress, but it is expected to take time to actually hire personnel.

Doris Meissner, a senior fellow at the Migration Policy Institute, noted, "Deportation procedures are not executed like flipping a switch," and pointed out that "significant preparation and time are needed administratively for the process."