AI could play key role in Trump's mass deportation plan

President-elect Donald Trump is preparing to fulfil his campaign promise of launching the largest mass deportation operation in US history. And Artificial Intelligence (AI) will help him with just that, according to experts. Artificial Intelligence will possibly automate deportation decisions, potentially bypassing traditional procedures. The experts have, however, declined to speculate on how AI might be used in Trump's administration.

AI was not used in Trump's first administration, but technology has progressed since and is increasingly integrated into various government systems. AI technology is in use for border security, including AI-powered drones and surveillance towers, which help identify illegal crossings and monitor the border 24/7.

Under President Joe Biden's administration, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has allocated budget and resources to AI. In April, DHS established the Artificial Intelligence Safety and Security Board to create guidelines for AI usage.

Additionally, the 2025 DHS budget includes $5 million to open an AI Office within the DHS Office of the Chief Information Officer, focusing on promoting the "responsible use" of AI by developing standards, policies, and oversight, reported CNBC.

Trump's selection of Tom Homan as "border czar" and Stephen Miller as deputy chief of staff for policy signals an aggressive approach to immigration.

Homan, a former US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) director, has pledged to establish the "biggest deportation force" the country has ever seen, emphasising that no one is "off the table" if they are here illegally.

Trump has said the mass deportation plan will start with criminals followed by repealing Temporary Protected Status for individuals. He said in an interview with NBC News that he has “no choice” but to pursue mass deportation after the election results, and that there is “no price tag.”

The use of AI will help in carrying out one of the biggest deportation programmes in history.

“AI is a transformative technology that can unprecedentedly advance our national interests. At the same time, it presents real risks we can mitigate by adopting best practices and taking other studied concrete actions,” said DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, reported CNBC News.

RISKS IN USING AI FOR MASS DEPORTATIONS

Experts are concerned that DHS’s mission will pivot towards deportation using untested AI.

“Knowing the Trump administration has signalled they want to conduct the largest mass deportation in US history and the fact that they have these tools at their disposal, it creates a surveillance dragnet not just at the border but inland that could capture communities all over the US," said Petra Molnar, a lawyer and anthropologist specialising in the impacts of migration technologies on people crossing borders and the author of 'The Walls Have Eyes: Surviving Migration in the Age of Artificial Intelligence'.

Remaya Campbell, acting commissioner for Homeland Security for the District of Columbia, warned that AI could automate immigration-related decision-making, bypassing traditional processes and potentially leading to neglect of privacy and due process.

"AI could be used to identify individuals for deportation broadly. With little regard for privacy or due process," Campbell said.

Neil Sahota, an AI advisor to the United Nations AI for Good Initiative, shared similar concerns, stating that AI surveillance systems would be a cornerstone of Trump's deportation strategy.

"Expectations are that a Trump administration would push for even more AI surveillance, potentially introducing autonomous patrols and expanding biometric screening," Sahota said, reported CNBC. "Enhanced AI could fast-track deportations," Sahota added, cautioning that these systems don't always get it right.

These systems use facial recognition and behaviour analysis capabilities to identify illegal immigrants.

“How do we handle situations where AI makes errors in identifying people’s immigration status? What if the system mistakenly flags a legal resident or citizen for deportation? The consequences are devastating for families and our community,” Sahota said.

DMV records, utility bills, and facial recognition technology at borders and airports will be AI tools used to facilitate deportation.

Laura MacCleery, senior policy director of Unidos US, the nation's largest Hispanic advocacy group, said AI accuracy problems are well known, with systems making inaccurate conclusions, especially data for people of colour tending to be less accurate.

However, Marina Shepelsky, CEO and immigration attorney at Shepelsky Law Group, believes that Trump will push for AI growth and deregulation.

"He is a businessman, he will see value in allowing AI to progress and grow to make the lives of lawyers like myself, doctors, scientists, etc., easier," Shepelsky said.

She thinks AI will blossom and be deregulated under the Trump administration.

"I am not an alarmist and not tearing out my hair about Trump being our next president. I may not like all his policies, but with AI -- I do think he will push for its growth, and for laws and regulations to be more flexible to allow AI to grow."

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