Tim Mannello

Williamsport

Back when Barack Obama was president, the U.S. deported about 914 undocumented immigrants every single day. Fast forward to the Trump administration, and that number has dropped slightly to around 800 per day. On the surface, these figures might seem like just statistics — but they open the door to deeper concerns.

So here’s the real question: Is this just about immigration enforcement, or is something bigger at play?

Some wonder if these deportations are less about reducing undocumented populations and more about justifying a growing presence of ICE agents and National Guard troops in American cities. Could this be a way to normalize militarized tactics, all while energizing a political base that demands aggressive action?

Others fear this strategy might be laying the groundwork for invoking the Insurrection Act, a law that allows the president to deploy military forces domestically. Is mass deportation being used as a pretext for something far more sweeping?

And then there’s the most chilling possibility: Could these efforts be designed to intimidate voters, influence the 2026 elections, and pave the way for Trump to remain in power through 2028 — using tactics like voter suppression or even seizing voting machines in districts where he’s losing?

A few years ago, I might’ve dismissed these thoughts as conspiracy theories. But today, I ask these questions not out of paranoia — but out of a growing sense that they deserve serious attention.