Trump says US has 'no choice' but to issue mass deportations regardless of 'price tag'

President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday said he has "no choice" but to carry-out mass deportations because of the surge of migrants who are living in the country illegally that entered the U.S. during the Biden administration.

Trump promised to strengthen border security and crack down on illegal immigration during his presidency if he was elected back to the White House. The former president was successful in his bid for reelection on Tuesday.

Trump said that he takes his electoral win as a mandate to "bring common sense" back to the U.S. and fulfill the promises that he made on the campaign trail.

"We obviously have to make the border strong and powerful and, and we have to — at the same time, we want people to come into our country," Trump told NBC News. "And you know, I’m not somebody that says, 'No, you can’t come in.' We want people to come in."

When asked about the costs of his plan to issue mass deportations, the former president said that it was not about the money, because he really did not see a choice.

"When people have killed and murdered, when drug lords have destroyed countries, and now they’re going to go back to those countries because they’re not staying here. There is no price tag," Trump insisted. 

There were at least 11 million undocumented migrants living in the U.S. as of 2022, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The actual number of undocumented migrants is higher but DHS data does not include the numbers for 2023 or 2024 so far.

The comments come as Republicans warn of higher crime rates and national security concerns about the Biden administration's border policies. Americans such as Georgia college student Laken Riley were allegedly killed by illegal immigrants.

Trump has also called for the death penalty to be imposed upon illegal immigrants who kill Americans, and on drug dealers. 

"I am calling for the death penalty for any migrant that kills an American citizen or law enforcement officer," he said at a rally in October. "And I will immediately ban all sanctuary cities in the United States where ending sanctuary cities, which is sanctuary for criminals. As we secure our border, we will bring back our economy."

Misty Severi is an evening news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.