Republican border mayor risks Trump’s wrath with bold criticism of his mass deportation plan
The Republican mayor of McAllen, Texas, is risking the wrath of newly elected President Donald Trump by criticizing his mass deportation plan.
ABC affiliate WFAA aired an interview with Mayor Javier Villalobos on Sunday, warning that deporting millions of undocumented immigrants – as Trump has promised – could wreak havoc on the US economy.
Villalobos said a mass deportation would likely not have a serious impact on McAllen because most border crossers go to places where they can be paid more for jobs.
But he suggested the plan could have a wider impact.
“I think if this were to happen, we would have problems with our economy,” Villalobos said.
Villalobos emphasized that the country needed immigrant labor.
“Look, I’ve always said it: There are a lot of people who can be very productive and we should try to help them come here and produce for us and help their families,” the Republican mayor said.
‘If they are people who have problems, criminal or otherwise, then we absolutely don’t want that. But there are a lot of people who I know can help us, who can help our economy stay strong,” he added.
Republican Mayor of McAllen, Texas, Javier Villalobos, told a Dallas-based ABC affiliate that he worries that newly elected President Donald Trump’s mass deportation plan could hurt the U.S. economy.
Trump has said the deportation effort would primarily target illegal immigrants with criminal records, but has also promised it would be the largest mass deportation in history — meaning workers could also be deported.
“The work ethic of the American people is not what it used to be. And often it is these immigrants who help,” Villalobos argued. “And I’ve seen it time and time again… I’ve also always said that we need immigrants, we need people to come and support their families and help our economy.”
Villalobos’ comments are similar to points made by DOGE co-leaders Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy when advocating for the H-1B visa program – which allows skilled workers, such as computer engineers, to enter the US.
Musk and Ramaswamy’s stance angered the traditional MAGA base, including Trump’s longtime political adviser Steve Bannon, who believes these jobs should be reserved for Americans first.
However, Villalobos’ comments applied to more low-skilled workers.
He also urged Trump not to implement the tariffs he has threatened against Mexico and Canada.
“Our economy, especially post-COVID, has been tremendous,” the Republican mayor said. ‘A lot has to do with import and export. If it were to be reduced, it would not only have an impact here, because a lot of goods are shipped both south and north. It will affect everyone.”
President-elect Donald Trump wants to carry out the largest deportation in American history, which would kick out undocumented workers as well as criminals. Villalobos warned that this could hurt the US economy
Villalobos also said McAllen has been in good shape for a while as NGOs have been working on the city’s border crossings.
He warned that if the federal government ordered NGOs to stop working with undocumented immigrants, it could be a major “burden” on his community.
“My biggest concern right now is the attack on NGOs right now, and whether we will get money to help the federal government,” Villalobos said. “So if they stay as they are, there’s nothing to worry about.”
“I mean, things have been going well here in McAllen for a long time,” Villalobos added. “However, it depends on what will happen with a new government.”