Borderline
Bonkers
written by
jaron summers (c) 2024
1. Cost
Transportation and Resources: Even with minimal costs, transportation alone would be expensive.
For example, moving people by bus (one of the cheapest large-scale transport options) would cost at least $200-$500 per person, totaling $4-10 billion.
Housing and Processing Facilities: Temporary facilities would be needed at multiple locations for processing and transporting individuals. Building and maintaining these could add billions.
Labor Costs for Personnel: A large workforce, including law enforcement, immigration officials, logistical support, medical teams, and humanitarian staff, would require substantial funding.
Legal and Social Services: Lawyers, translators, counselors, and advocates would be necessary to assist individuals with rights and documentation, potentially adding billions more in legal expenses.
Total Estimated Cost: Likely tens of billions of dollars, with a conservative estimate around $50-100 billion or more.
2. Logistics
Coordination of Officials: It would take tens of thousands of officials, potentially over 100,000, including police, border agents, logistical support, social workers, and humanitarian workers.
Transportation Network: Thousands of buses, planes, and other transport modes would be required, likely taking over a year to secure, schedule, and coordinate all trips.
Processing Centers: Multiple processing centers would be needed along the border and throughout major cities.
They’d require infrastructure to handle large groups, including food, water, shelter, medical care, and security.
Border Security:
Coordination with Mexican authorities would be essential to manage the incoming population. Mexican border facilities would need to be expanded significantly to avoid overwhelming existing services.
3. Major Risks and Challenges
Legal Challenges: Such a massive deportation would face considerable legal opposition, likely delaying or halting proceedings. Constitutional rights and international law would be significant factors.
Humanitarian Issues: Displacing millions, including children, would lead to massive humanitarian concerns. Families might be separated, and there could be significant psychological, economic, and social impacts on individuals and families.
Economic Impact: Removing 20 million people would dramatically affect the U.S. economy, especially in sectors like agriculture, construction, and hospitality, which rely on a large immigrant workforce.
The resulting labor shortage would increase costs and likely impact GDP.
International Relations: Such an operation would strain U.S.-Mexico relations and potentially face backlash from other nations. It could lead to diplomatic fallout and economic sanctions.
Enforcement and Resistance: A significant portion of the population would resist deportation, requiring additional enforcement and potentially escalating into conflict, both physical and legal.
4. Personnel Required
Law Enforcement: To enforce orders and prevent evasion, tens of thousands of officers from immigration, local law enforcement, and federal agencies would be required.
Support Staff: Medical personnel, social workers, interpreters, and legal professionals would need to provide support.
Coordination Teams: Logistical experts, transportation coordinators, and officials to handle paperwork, IDs, and records.
Total Officials and Support Staff Needed: Likely between 100,000-150,000 people over several years to manage operations.
5. Timeline
Preparation Time: Planning, gathering resources, and organizing such an effort would likely take a minimum of 1-2 years.
Implementation Time: Physically moving 20 million people would take at least several more years, depending on the speed, capacity, and efficiency of operations.
It could take 5-10 years to complete.
