Trump Administration's Ongoing Use of Immigrants to Attack Constitutional Rights

U.S. Senator Peter Welch, Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on The Constitution, has led a forum to expose the Trump Administration's misuse of immigrants to undermine fundamental rights. The Administration has attacked due process, leading to arbitrary arrests, deportation, and dismantling of congressional oversight. This aggressive approach has severe economic implications and threatens the rights of all Americans, including DREAMERS, who have served as police officers, military personnel, and medical professionals.

Key Takeaways:

• The Trump Administration has used immigration as a pretext to undermine constitutional order and the rule of law, including unprecedented attacks on due process.
• The Administration has invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to deport noncitizens to El Salvador without a hearing, deploying the National Guard over local objections, and sending masked agents to arrest noncitizens for speech and expression protected by the First Amendment.
• Senator Welch has been a leading voice in pushing back against the Trump Administration's unlawful attacks on due process and the rule of law, criticizing the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to deport over 500,000 immigrants and joining colleagues in calling the action an "unlawful and brazen power grab."
• Other initiatives undertaken by Senator Welch include joining colleagues in writing to the Trump Administration demanding information about the arrest and detention of Tufts University student Rumeysa Ozturk, urging the Trump Administration to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia, and decriing the detention of Mohsen Mahdawi of White River Junction, Vermont.
• The Fair Day in Court for Kids Act of 2025, legislation introduced by 26 Senators, aims to provide unaccompanied children with legal representation for their court proceedings before an immigration judge.

Statistics:

• Over 500,000 immigrants were deported from Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela, and Haiti.
• The Trump Administration has detained Tufts University student Rumeysa Ozturk and others across the country.
• The Administration has deported 1,000 people, including Kilmar Abrego Garcia, from the United States to El Salvador without due process.
• Senator Welch has joined colleagues in urging the Trump Administration to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia.

Sources:

• Senator Peter Welch
• U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.)
• Senate Democrats Forum on "Cruel and Unamerican: The Abuse of Immigrants to Attack our Constitutional Order"
• The Trump Administration's unlawful attacks on due process and the rule of law
• The U.S. Supreme Court's decision to deport over 500,000 immigrants
• Senator Welch's opinion piece in the Boston Globe entitled: "Detained activist Mohsen Mahdawi: 'A prisoner of this White House'"