Rep. Don Bacon Calls Trump Administration’s Deportations “Overreach”

Representative Don Bacon, a Nebraska Republican, says the current deportation campaign targets individuals who “make zero sense to deport.” He argues that many removals lack “common sense and humanity,” and that Congress must modernize immigration laws to prevent such outcomes. Bacon’s criticism comes amid President Donald Trump’s pledge to launch the largest mass-deportation operation in U.S. history.

Newsweek

Bacon cites the case of Mariana, an Omaha woman scheduled to report for removal on September 18. Mariana arrived in the United States at age 16, earned an aviation degree with honors from the University of Nebraska Omaha, and holds a private pilot’s license. According to Bacon, she has complied with immigration-authority requirements, including annual check-ins and prior stays of removal. He contends that her removal order resulted from a missed hearing when she was a minor and that she was never personally notified of the hearing.

Newsweek

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was holding 65,765 people in detention as of July 11, up from about 60,300 in early April and nearing a record level of more than 70,700 earlier this year. Arrests averaged roughly 1,474 per day during the first 11 days of July, surpassing June’s average of over 1,300 daily arrests. Researchers note that individuals with no criminal history now represent the largest single group in ICE detention, while the share of detainees held solely for immigration violations has risen since April.

Newsweek

She encouraged illegal aliens to use the CBP Home app to arrange voluntary departure, receive a $2,600 check, and a free flight home. Bacon has also promoted the “Dignity Act,” a proposal that would combine stronger border security with legal-status pathways for long-term undocumented residents.

Newsweek

• “The Administration has overreached on deportations, going after people who make zero sense to deport, like Mariana,” — Representative Don Bacon

Newsweek

• “America must be better than this,” — Representative Don Bacon

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• “I have talked to the Secretary of Homeland Security,” — Representative Don Bacon

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• “The deportations of TPS folks are also a travesty,” — Representative Don Bacon

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• “I support the Dignity Act that provides fixes to all this,” — Representative Don Bacon

Newsweek