Houston’s immigrant communities are preparing for potential changes in immigration policies with the likely return of Donald Trump to the presidential office. Rose Escobar, a Houston resident, recalls the impact of Trump’s first term when her husband, Jose, was deported to El Salvador in 2017 after an immigration check-in. After two years of advocacy, Jose reunited with his family in Houston and became a U.S. citizen in 2023.
Local immigrant rights groups are now bracing for a possible return of Trump’s administration, which previously enacted strict immigration policies. These included mass deportations and plans to end birthright citizenship. The fear of similar policies has resurfaced in Houston’s immigrant community, which is home to over 1.6 million immigrants, with an estimated 31 percent being unauthorized, according to the Migration Policy Institute.
Elizabeth “Chiqui” Sanchez Kennedy, Executive Director of the Galveston-Houston Immigrant Representation Project, a legal aid nonprofit, expressed concern. She noted that local communities might face challenges similar to those from Trump’s previous term. Immigrant advocates in Houston foresee these policies might disrupt families and negatively impact the local economy. However, they also believe local officials and community organizers can mitigate some of these impacts.
Trump’s promises for mass deportations include removing an estimated 11.7 million undocumented immigrants across the nation. This plan would broaden immigration enforcement beyond high-priority cases and might require expanded federal cooperation, additional immigration courts, and increased immigrant detention space.
In the Houston area alone, more than half a million individuals could face deportation under Trump’s proposed plan. Over 1.6 million immigrants reside in Houston. Approximately 31 percent of them lack legal status, as revealed by the Migration Policy Institute. Among them, 27,000 hold Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status, and another 27,000 have Temporary Protected Status (TPS), primarily from El Salvador and Honduras. A growing number of Venezuelans also hold TPS.
In Trump’s prior term, DACA and TPS programs faced potential termination, increasing vulnerability to deportation for long-term U.S. residents. Cesar Espinosa, Executive Director of FIEL Houston Inc., advises immigrants to prepare for the worst-case scenario. This includes maintaining important documents and preparing their families, even though nothing has changed until Trump officially takes office.
Texas has already implemented measures to support large-scale deportations. Jennefer Canales-Pelaez, Texas policy attorney and strategist for the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, highlighted Governor Abbott’s $11 billion border initiative, known as Operation Lone Star. This initiative has laid the groundwork for mass arrests and detentions.
Family separation is another anticipated policy area under scrutiny. Trump’s past “zero tolerance” policy, which separated families at the border, could resurface. This policy affected over 5,000 families, many of whom remain separated. Although a federal judge barred the policy in 2023, Trump and his running mate, JD Vance, have not clarified their stance on its potential revival.
Espinosa from FIEL Houston acknowledges the uncertainty surrounding a second potential Trump administration. An estimated 28 million people live in families where at least one member is at risk of deportation. This includes 5.1 million U.S. citizen children. Texas, with over 4.5 million unauthorized immigrants, faces significant potential impact.
The economic implications of mass deportations are also a concern. Trump claims his immigration policies could boost the economy. However, advocates argue the opposite, predicting a potential $967 billion cost over a decade, as reported by the American Immigration Council. In Houston, immigrants hold essential roles in industries like construction, energy, and healthcare, comprising substantial portions of the workforce.
Stan Marek, CEO of Houston-based construction company Marek, suggests that deportations could hinder local business operations. He urges the government to conduct background checks on immigrants and integrate them into the workforce legally. Marek encourages those opposed to the mass deportation plan to contact their elected officials to express their concerns.