Sen. Tim Kaine expresses commitment to the immigrant community as deportation concerns rise under the new administration

Washington: So, President-elect Trump is planning to kick off the biggest deportation operation ever in the U.S. right from day one. It’s got a lot of folks, including Virginia’s senators, scratching their heads about what this means for undocumented immigrants.
ICE usually goes after immigrants with criminal records, but Trump’s new guy, Tom Homan, hinted at something different. He mentioned that there could be collateral arrests, meaning people who haven’t done anything wrong might still get caught up in the sweeps.
Sen. Tim Kaine is a bit skeptical. He said, “Let’s see what Trump actually proposes.” He pointed out that Trump often talks big but doesn’t always follow through. Kaine also raised some good questions about how this deportation plan would even work logistically.
He’s worried about things like where they’ll put all these people and how they’ll pay for it. During Trump’s first term, Kaine was vocal against the ICE sweeps that happened right after he took office, where a lot of people were detained.
People in the community have shared stories that don’t match up with ICE’s claims. For instance, a resident named Ingrid mentioned knowing folks without any criminal records who got deported just because of these sweeps.
Kaine recalled a particularly harsh incident where ICE detained men outside a church shelter. He called it “terribly cruel” and promised to stand with the community against such actions again.
CASA, a major immigrant advocacy group, is stepping up to help those at risk. They’re offering workshops to educate people about their rights, emphasizing that everyone has rights, no matter their immigration status.
Another group in Northern Virginia is keeping their plans under wraps, worried about their members being targeted. Sen. Mark Warner also weighed in, criticizing the Biden administration for not acting sooner on border issues but praised them for extending Temporary Protected Status for certain countries.
Warner is pushing for bipartisan immigration legislation, especially after a previous plan was shot down by Republicans. He believes it’s crucial to address these issues head-on.