The Impact Of Deportation On The US Economy: Has Trump Bitten More Than He Can Chew?

The 47th president of the United States of America, Donald Trump, claims that he intends to carry out mass deportations. According to the government, the deportations primarily target criminals and drug cartel members who have invaded the United States and are wreaking havoc on the populace and the nation. However, impacted business owners have verified that recent deportations authorized by the president are negatively affecting several American industries that rely on migrant labor.

Even though Trump’s deportation policy was embraced by the majority of Americans who agree with him, it has been a subject of concern to businesses, factories, and company owners. Business owners, including farmers, are complaining that they are losing the employees they need to operate. It has come to light that, in addition to causing anxiety, fear, and uncertainty among immigrants, the deportation has had an impact on important industries like manufacturing, healthcare, and agriculture.

Americans are seeing a 50% reduction in their operations, and workers carrying out essential tasks have disappeared. As grocery prices are high and immigrants are paralyzed by fear and prefer to stay at home, factory production has drastically decreased. We should not forget that Trump promised to lower supermarket costs and prices throughout the economy during his campaign, but this is not taking place. The mass deportations, according to many, may worsen the situation for Americans.

Although it is claimed that deporting immigrants could reduce crime, it is also known that immigrants are essential to maintaining a dynamic economy. On November 18, 1969, about three million immigrants, particularly Nigerians, were impacted by the Aliens Compliance Order policy by Kofi Abrefa Busia, the president of Ghana and the head of the Progress Party. It was no secret that Ghana's economy was ruined by this deportation order rather than being helpful in any way.

The strong-established Nigerian community had a significant positive impact on Ghana's socioeconomic development both before and after independence. As the largest immigrant group in Ghana, the Nigerians were essential to the country's economic stability and helped create Ghana's grandeur at the time because the majority of them were traders and businesspeople who carried out profitable activities throughout West African nations. After the expulsion order, it took Ghana years to recover.

Another instance of history repeating itself occurred when the Nigerian government issued the identical expulsion decree. More than half of the two million undocumented West African migrants who were expelled under an executive order issued by President Shehu Shagari in January 1983 were Ghanaians. Nigeria attracted thousands of immigrants due to its oil boom, which made it one of the richest countries in West Africa and created countless job opportunities across all industries.

Since Ghanaians make up the majority, the deportation order was titled "Ghana Must Go," despite the reality that the immigrants came from a wide range of African nations. As the migrants were threatened with arrest, prosecution, and forced deportation if they did not comply, Ghanaians reacted with fear and concern. They faced unfriendly surroundings and most unpleasant experiences, and as they struggled to get to Accra, several people lost their lives and had their belongings stolen.

Nigerians had to endure the economic nightmare that followed the deportation order for the rest of their lives. The economy never recovered, and the average person is still struggling to live a normal life in the face of skyrocketing commodity prices. The country's economy is already in a state of chaos due to the high cost of food, and as a member of the "Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries," Nigerians cannot afford the cost of their own fuel.

This suggests that while there is no certainty that mass deportations will reduce crime, they can undoubtedly destroy the economy and raise the cost of goods and services in the fields of healthcare, construction, and agriculture.