Why money isn't the only issue with Trump's immigration plans

Hello. US president-elect Donald Trump said money will be no obstacle to his campaign promise of mass deportation of illegal migrants. Bernd Debusmann Jr and Mike Wendling look into which issues the plan could still face. I've also gathered a selection of the week's must-read features, including stories from Denmark and Australia, and here's the weekly news quiz.

QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Legal, logistics issues in deportations plan

Increasing the number of deportations could require the use of military aircraft to augment capacity. Credit: Getty Images

In some of his first public remarks since winning the election, Donald Trump has doubled down on his campaign promise of the mass deportation of illegal immigrants, saying the cost of doing so will not be a deterrent. Whether money proves an obstacle remains to be seen - but it would not be the only element to consider.

What would be the cost of a mass deportation plan?

In 2023, when the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency deported slightly more than 140,000 people, its transportation and deportation budget was $420m (£327m). [Under Trump's plans] thousands of immigrants would be detained while awaiting court hearings or deportations. The number of removal flights would also need to be dramatically expanded. Just a small expansion in any of these areas could result in significant costs. "Even a minor change is in the tens of millions, or hundreds of millions," said Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, policy director at the American Immigration Council.

What would be the impact on the court system?

Immigrants who are in the US without legal status have the right to due process, including a court hearing before their removal. A drastic increase in deportations would likely entail a large expansion in the immigration court system, which has been beset by backlogs. Any mass deportation programme is likely to be almost immediately met with a flurry of legal challenges from immigration and human rights activists. A 2022 Supreme Court ruling, however, means that courts cannot issue injunctions on immigration enforcement policies.

What other issues may arise?

Mass deportations could also cost politically from a public relations standpoint. "Every community in the US would see people they know and love put on buses," said Adam Isacson, a migration and border expert from the Washington Office on Latin America. "You'd have some very painful images on TV of crying children, and families," he added. "All of that is incredibly bad press. It's family separation, but on steroids."

PICKS OF THE WEEK

THE BIG PICTURE

Botswana writes a new political chapter

Boko founded the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) party in 2012. Credit: Reuters

Duma Boko's victory in the presidential election unseated a ruling party that was in power for 58 years. Friday marked the day he officially took office - ahead of the swearing in ceremony, the former human rights lawyer talked to the BBC Africa Daily podcast about his vision for the country.

And finally... in Ireland

A vet in the Republic of Ireland has saved the life of a goldfish after carrying out a rare operation to remove a suspected tumour from his face. Merlin, the 17-year-old fish, developed a growth under his left eye that became "so large it was preventing him from eating". I'm delighted to hear Merlin’s recovery is now going "swimmingly".