I said that your logic tree elides the fact that they would be going back to a place that they already accepted an immense amount of risk and effort to leave.

In other words: for many people, the US + ICE risk (relatively low risk of catastrophic outcome) is still far better than their home country (high risk of pretty bad outcome)

You: doesn’t that just prove my point that if you are here __illegally__

They're talking about the now well-established fact that ICE is pursuing people who have legal status in this country and using all sorts of tricks (both legal and illegal) to prevent them from exercising their rights.

Here's one example: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detention_of_R%C3%BCmeysa_%C3%...

The definition of being "illegal" in the eyes of the law is not actually really well defined at all. It is pretty much a vibe check

Entered via a port of entry and visa overstay? "illegal"

Entered via a port of entry and visa overstay, but now you have legal status? "Maybe you are illegal"

Entered not via a port of entry? "You are illegal"

Entered via a port of entry with legal status? "Legal but you might get detained for several days"

Entered via a port of entry with legal status but you attended a protest? "Legal but the government doesn't like you so expect to be detained"

Born and raised in the United States but don't carry your passport? "Legal but expected to be detained"

Entered via a port of entry with legal status BUT you have a traffic ticket and a bench warrant out of state "Illegal and criminal! Expect to be deported"

Might I add that only one of these above conditions is valid for deportation and a ban and every other is a violation of your rights

This is a matter of simply breaking the law.

The border is secured in the sense that Trump has made the US such an unappealing destination that fewer people want to risk it. It's a valid strategy (if awful) except in that doing so essentially requires the government to violate laws.

Turns out it's easy to "solve problems" when you aren't constrained by laws. Not an insight whatsoever.

Specific laws being violated:

* Due Process protections

* Equal Protection

* Asylum laws

Actually towards the end of the Biden administration, they engaged in similar law-breaking because immigration was obviously going to be such a political liability going into the election. Those moves have since been found to be illegal: https://www.aclu.org/press-releases/district-court-strikes-d...

Most of the Trump admin's moves to make the US so unappealing that no one wants to risk coming here will also ultimately be found to be illegal.