Former President Donald Trump continues to emphasize his campaign promise of launching the largest domestic deportation operation in American history, a move that could have far-reaching consequences for millions of mixed-status families in the United States. According to data from the Pew Research Center, out of 130 million U.S. households, approximately 5.6 million, or 1 in 25, include undocumented immigrants.

In an interview with Time magazine, Trump reaffirmed his commitment to rid the country of individuals without legal permission to be here. He mentioned using the National Guard, local police, and even the military if necessary, to force immigrants "back from where they came." Trump characterized these immigrants as an invasion and claimed it to be unlike anything any country has ever seen.

While Trump often focuses on recent border crossings, the reality is that a significant portion of undocumented immigrants have long-established roots in the country. A large-scale deportation operation targeting these individuals would result in the separation of family members, leaving some behind, including millions of U.S.-born or naturalized family members. Even citizens themselves could potentially be affected or forced to follow their deported family members.

Since the Immigration Reform and Control Act was signed by former President Ronald Reagan in 1986, nearly 3 million people who were in the country illegally before January 1, 1982, as well as certain farmworkers, had the opportunity to apply for legal permanent residency. However, there has been no legislation since then to address the legalization of the millions who have been in the U.S. for decades, despite broad public support for such measures.

Leisy Abrego, a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, highlighted the existence of families where not everyone shares the same citizenship due to the lack of mass legalization since 1986. This precarious situation is why Trump's sweeping deportation proposal is especially frightening for mixed-status families like Rosa Sanchez's.

Sanchez, who has been in the country for 23 years, expressed concern about Trump's proposal. She currently resides in Phoenix with her American citizen husband and U.S.-born children. Sanchez's immigration status was temporarily resolved through Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), but Trump's attempts to end the program and bar new applicants have left her uncertain about her family's future.

Sanchez's husband, Everk Sanchez, emphasized the importance of their family's contributions to the community, including their support for families with cancer and those with small businesses. The potential deportation of Rosa would disrupt various aspects of their lives, including their community involvement.

During Trump's presidency, policies like "zero tolerance" led to the separation of thousands of migrant children and babies from their parents at the border, including some U.S. citizen children placed in foster care. These separations caused great emotional distress and resulted in federal lawsuits. Although the policy was later rescinded, some families have still not been reunited, as confirmed by the Biden administration.

In his interview with Time magazine, Trump defended his proposal to involve the military in civilian immigration enforcement, citing former President Dwight D. Eisenhower's deportation sweeps, known as Operation Wetback. Trump estimated the number of undocumented immigrants in the U.S. to be between 15 and 20 million, while the Pew Research Center estimated the figure to be around 10.5 million as of 2021.

While the bureaucratic feasibility of Trump's proposed mass deportations is questionable, Abrego expressed concern about the potential suffering and fear that his pledge engenders. Trump's spokesperson has indicated that he intends to restore his prior immigration policies and implement new crackdowns if he were to return to the Oval Office.

As the debate surrounding immigration policies continues, the fate of millions of mixed-status families hangs in the balance, raising questions about the potential for family separation and the wider implications such a large-scale deportation operation would have on American society.