Donald Trump has vowed to forcibly remove millions of undocumented immigrants from the United States.
But after the Republican claimed victory, undocumented DREAMers said they were not going anywhere.
On Twitter, #HereToStay began trending as undocumented immigrants expressed solidarity against the president-elect’s deportation pledge.
Trump gained notoriety with his base for his plan to beef up security and build a wall along the border with Mexico. But it’s his proposed deportation policy that could have the largest real-world impact on people currently living in the U.S.
As many as 11 million undocumented immigrants would be subject to deportation under Trump’s campaign proposals. More than half of those — up to 6.5 million — would be considered “priorities” for removal. Trump has said he will build a “deportation force” with triple the existing resources to carry out his plan.
His vision on deportation presented a stark contrast to his Democratic contender, Hillary Clinton, who advocated for a path to citizenship for a broad swath of the undocumented population.
Those undocumented immigrants likely to face the immediate impact of Trump’s victory expressed shock and dismay Wednesday morning. Already pro-immigrant advocacy groups said they were prepared for a political fight.
