I'm not a lawyer: Trump casts doubt on due process rights amid deportation push

In a wide-ranging interview with NBC’s Meet the Press, President Donald Trump declined to affirm whether due process rights under the US Constitution apply equally to citizens and noncitizens, as his administration pushes aggressively to deport immigrants who are in the country illegally and other non-citizens, while also minimizing the likelihood of military action against Canada amid provocative rhetoric.

When asked by NBC’s Kristen Welker whether individuals in the US, regardless of citizenship status, are entitled to due process protections, Trump responded, “I don’t know. I’m not, I’m not a lawyer. I don’t know.”

He warned that granting full legal proceedings to all immigrants could result in “a million or 2 million or 3 million trials,” suggesting the process would overwhelm the courts.

The Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments of the US Constitution guarantee due process and equal protection under the law to "any person," not just citizens.

Trump’s remarks come amid legal battles over his administration’s aggressive deportation policies, including a high-profile Supreme Court case involving Venezuelan migrants accused of gang affiliation.

Trump defended his stance, saying his administration is targeting “some of the worst, most dangerous people on Earth,” and said that “the courts are holding me from doing it.”

He assured that his legal team will comply with existing Supreme Court rulings, including one that temporarily halted deportations of certain Venezuelan migrants and another that ordered the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran man mistakenly deported despite a court order halting his deportation.

Abrego Garcia, who had been living in Maryland, was wrongfully deported and is currently detained in El Salvador. A federal judge has demanded that the administration disclose steps taken to facilitate his return to the US.

However, Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele has remained firm on keeping Garcia out of the US.

Trump On Military Action Against Canada

Trump also addressed recent controversial statements about Canada and Greenland. Despite previous threats to make Canada the “51st state,” he told NBC that using military force is “highly unlikely.”

Regarding Greenland, Trump said “Something could happen with Greenland. I’ll be honest, we need that for national and international security.” He did not dismiss the possibility of military involvement to secure control of the territory, which remains part of NATO-ally Denmark.

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(With input from the Associated Press)

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