Human rights for some? How Trump's Mass Deportations Weaken the U.S Global Standing

Woman protesting the mass deportations inflicted by the Trump administration, Source:Joe Raedle/UCS

Since US President Donald Trump returned to office, his stance on deportation has destabilized public trust and shaken global confidence in the US. Trump's efforts to enact the largest mass deportation operation in US history on day one of his presidency has led to fast track removals, many without a fair legal process. 

In clear violation of humanitarian laws, the Trump administration was sued on Jan. 22 by organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union and New York Civil Liberties Union for said illegality. Despite due process guaranteeing a fair trial for all, the Trump administration's actions have undermined this principle, raising doubts about the legitimacy of the current justice system. 

As the Trump administration moves to deport millions of immigrants seeking safety and stability — without allowing for hearings — criticism and concerns about the state of the US asylum system rise. Physicians for Human Rights warn that Trump’s policy agenda will “compound suffering, threaten public health, and violate long standing human rights protections.”

Dangers of said violations are particularly evident in cases where immigrants, unable to be deported to their home countries, are instead sent to detention facilities like Guantanamo Bay. 

Facilities such as these have been criticized for their prison-like conditions, where detainees are “trapped in a punitive system” for extended periods. Officials overseeing these facilities reportedly operate with little to no oversight, creating an environment vulnerable to inhumane conditions and unchecked authority. 

There are reports detainees have been subjected to abuse, neglect, and mistreatment, with evidence suggesting conditions worsened during the first term of the Trump administration. Under his leadership, a notable increase in the use of force, solitary confinement, and patterns of sexual abuse was reported. 

Trump previously claimed that detainees are “living far better now than where they came from, and in far safer conditions,” but his remarks raise a critical question: How much have the humanitarian standards for immigrants been lowered? Such circumstances imposed by the Trump administration not only raise human rights concerns, but also threaten America's reputation as a global advocate for justice and democracy. 

Furthermore, public health critics express that as the right to seek asylum becomes increasingly restricted, so too do the health and safety of immigrants. Under international law the US government is obligated to ensure that asylum seekers are not placed at risk of human rights abuses. Mass deportation efforts not only endanger individuals seeking asylum but also undermine the US’s reputation as a safe haven for refugees.

Amid ongoing rapid deportation efforts by Trump, questions remain about how Mexico will manage these drastic deportation measures. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has pledged to bolster consular support in the US and defend the rights of Mexican immigrants. Meanwhile Sheinbaum aims to provide humanitarian assistance to those expelled from the US.

Trump has threatened a 25% tariff on Mexican exports, accusing Mexico of failing to curb illegal immigrants and drug trafficking. These developments have sparked concerns about rising tensions for the future stability of the US-Mexico relationship.  

In its efforts to regulate legal immigration, the Trump administration has blurred the definition of human rights and raised concerns about the US’s stance on humanitarian aid for immigrants. In the first month of his term, Trump has complicated the US’s global standing, raising concerns about the validity of the justice system, its response to humanitarian crises, and democracy as a whole.