**Senator Barrasso Dodges Costs of Trump's Deportation Plan in Tense Interview**

Republican Senator John Barrasso faced a challenging moment on Sunday as he attempted to justify his support for former President Donald Trump’s proposed mass deportation plan. The plan envisions the removal of approximately 10-12 million illegal immigrants from the United States, a process Trump has claimed has no financial limitations. But when Barrasso was confronted with a striking cost estimate, his resolve seemed to falter.

In an interview with NBC's Kristen Welker on "Meet the Press," the host reminded Barrasso of Trump's recent statement that there "is no price tag" for the deportation plan. Welker then hit the senator with a daunting figure: the plan could cost as much as $88 billion per year to deport just one million individuals. Asked whether he would endorse such an expensive initiative, Barrasso struggled to provide a concrete answer.

"Ultimately Congress will have to decide whether to give President-elect Trump a blank check. Do you agree that there is no price tag for Donald Trump's mass deportation plan?" Welker pressed. Barrasso responded by sidestepping the financial aspect, emphasizing instead the importance of national security. "Well I agree there's no price tag on protecting the safety and security of our country and our citizens,” he said.

Senator Barrasso reiterated that President Trump aimed to focus on deporting illegal immigrants who are criminals, including members of criminal cartels, drug dealers, and individuals on the terrorist watch list. However, Welker pointed out that not all illegal immigrants fall into these categories, to which Barrasso could only reiterate his support for targeting felons.

Confronted again with the $88 billion annual cost estimate, Barrasso redirected the conversation towards the prioritization of criminals within the illegal immigrant population. “We need to start with the people who are felons who have been left in this country. People who are on the terrorist watch list. People who have been convicted in other countries of murder and rape,” he said, skirting a direct answer about the plan's broader financial implications.

While Barrasso expressed agreement with Trump's objectives, the interview underscored the complexities and potential financial burdens of implementing such an extensive deportation scheme. As discussions around immigration policies continue, the question of financial feasibility remains a contentious point that Barrasso and his colleagues will need to address.