President-elect Donald Trump has reaffirmed his commitment to enforcing stricter immigration policies, including enhanced border security and mass deportations, in the wake of his victory over Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 U.S. presidential election. In an exclusive interview with NBC News on Thursday, Trump emphasized that these issues will remain a top priority for his incoming administration.
“We obviously have to make the border strong and powerful and, at the same time, we want people to come into our country,” Trump said, reiterating his long-standing stance on immigration reform. Trump further stressed that any newcomers to the U.S. must come legally and with a genuine respect for the country’s values. “We want people to come in… but they have to come in with love for the country,” he added. “They have to come in legally.”
The President-elect’s comments come as part of his continued push to carry out what he promised during his campaign would be “the largest deportation effort in American history.” While details about the scale and scope of such an operation remain unclear, Trump indicated that it would be one of his administration’s key objectives. He insisted that cost should not be a consideration in carrying out such a massive operation. “It’s not a question of a price tag… we have no choice,” Trump declared. “When people have killed and murdered, when drug lords have destroyed countries, and now they’re going to go back to those countries because they’re not staying here. There is no price tag.”
Despite Trump’s firm stance, immigration experts and federal officials have raised concerns about the feasibility of large-scale deportations. Patrick J. Lechleitner, Acting Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), discussed the complexities of such a policy in an interview with NBC News in July. He explained that executing mass deportations would require significant coordination among several federal agencies, including the Justice Department and the Department of Defense, to ensure its effectiveness.
Trump, however, credited his immigration policies as a key factor in his success in the 2024 election. “I started to see realignment could happen because the Democrats are not in line with the thinking of the country,” he said, referencing the shift in Latino voter support toward his campaign. He also noted that his platform, which called for restoring “common sense” to national policies, resonated with diverse groups, including young voters, women, and Asian Americans. “We have a great coalition,” he added.
The president-elect’s positions have sparked considerable debate, particularly concerning their potential impact on immigrant communities, the U.S. economy, and international relations. As Trump prepares to take office in January, his administration will face the challenge of implementing these ambitious proposals while addressing the logistical and humanitarian concerns associated with mass deportations and stricter immigration enforcement.
In addition to his immigration agenda, Trump also shared details of his post-election conversations with Vice President Harris and President Joe Biden. He described their discussions as “very nice calls” and expressed mutual respect. “She wanted to have a smooth transition, and I agreed with that,” Trump said, suggesting that the tone of the discussions was cordial and focused on a peaceful transfer of power.
