Thread by @JoshJPhilipp

A policy to enact mass deportations goes into effect this Friday. And I haven't seen anyone put the pieces together on it yet. Thread below.

First, the DHS is now going to be enforcing an existing law from 1996. This will place fines of up to $998 every day that an illegal immigrant refuses to leave the United States. Authorities can seize the assets of illegal immigrants to recoup those costs even retroactively.

Technically, this uses United States Code, 1324d. "Civil penalties for failure to depart." But they're updating it. uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req…

Here's USA Today: "The Trump administration plans to fine migrants under deportation orders up to $998 a day if they fail to leave the United States and to seize their property if they do not pay, according to documents reviewed by Reuters." usatoday.com/story/news/pol…

Now, this is actually huge – mainly in how it relates to other policies that are now in place. Where this really gets interesting, is in how it relates to other laws…

I’d say maybe the most important piece is how this law relates to President Trump’s executive order, titled, “Protecting the American People Against Invasion,” that he signed on January 20.

That order directs the DHS and other agencies to enforce requirements for all aliens in the country to register under the Immigration and Nationality Act. whitehouse.gov/presidential-a…

What does that law say? Well, it's United States Code 1302 on “registration of aliens.” Basically it requires all aliens in the United States – illegal or otherwise – to register with the government, if they remain in the United States for 30 days or longer.

Soon after, the DHS announced on February 25 that it was putting a program for that in place. That program goes into effect on April 11. That's this Friday.

So how do these programs relate? Well, basically, that program that goes into effect in just a couple days is a registration system for aliens to sign up for deportation. It’s a government program to remove them from the country.

It specifically says “aliens,” and not just “illegal immigrants,” so this could also apply to people who came in through legal grey area programs, like the open door systems for amnesty. And if they don’t register, it’s a crime. They violate the law.

They could face civil penalties including imprisonment or fines – fines like those now being enforced also by DHS, under the new announcement. That’s up to $998 every single day they don’t self deport. And again, it can be enforced retroactively.

A tool for this was also put in place. The Trump administration repurposed the CBP One app, and relaunched it as the CBP Home app, so that people can register for deportation.

Now, that’s huge, but the other issue is – can the government really find all the illegal immigrants, and take steps to enforce that? Well, that ties into another tool that has now been launched…

The White House posted a tip line for ICE, where people can report illegal immigrants. The hotline is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They also posted this on April 6. See the timing all lining up?

Normally, this would be available for people to report illegal activity. It’s for reporting things like child exploitation, or transnational gang activity. But if you go to the official ICE form, it goes further...

Look at the check boxes. It also includes “Fugitive Criminal Alien,” and the box for “other” includes “Illegal Immigration.” ice.gov/webform/ice-ti…

Take this all together, and what does it mean? Well, a huge program for mass deportations goes into effect this Friday. And new tools and laws have just been put in place to enforce it, and even finance it using seized assets from illegal immigrants.

I'm curious where everyone stands on this. Do you support the mass deportations about to go into effect?