Trump's Deportation Plan: A Familiar Tune, Different Orchestra
The article focuses on the supposed novelty of Trump's immigration crackdown, highlighting a program allowing local officers to perform federal immigration duties. But let's rewind: the 287(g) program, which deputizes local law enforcement, saw significant expansion under George W. Bush and continued under Obama, with over 60,000 deportations linked to it by 2011. This isn't groundbreaking policy;
it's a ramped-up version of a bipartisan favorite, perfected by administrations of both colors. One might wonder if the outrage scales with the party in power. It's a curious omission that this 'novel' approach has been a staple of U.S. immigration enforcement for decades. The problem isn't just Trump's rhetoric, but the systemic infrastructure built and maintained by multiple presidents.
Bloomberg laments a 'deportation dragnet' while neglecting to mention the previous administrations that cast similar nets, albeit with less flamboyant headlines. How many 'armies' does it take before we question the generals, not just the loudest trumpeter?