WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Sunday, May 11, 2025, escalated his hardline immigration rhetoric, claiming without evidence that the United States has been “invaded” by 21 million undocumented immigrants, while calling for mass deportations and suggesting that legal safeguards such as habeas corpus could be suspended to enable their removal.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, the president described undocumented immigrants as “murderers and criminals of the highest order” and warned that the U.S. risks becoming a “CRIME RIDDEN THIRD WORLD NATION” unless deportations are carried out.
“Our Country has been INVADED by 21,000,000 Illegal Aliens,” Trump wrote.
“If we aren’t allowed to remove them because of a radicalized and incompetent Court System, the USA will quickly and violently become a CRIME RIDDEN THIRD WORLD NATION, NEVER TO SEE GREATNESS AGAIN.”
He also urged his legal team to present this claim to the U.S. Supreme Court, writing, “Our lawyers should state this FACT when going before the United States Supreme Court, and all other courts.”
Trump repeated false assertions about his electoral victories, claiming he “won ALL SEVEN SWING STATES” and the popular vote in 2020, despite all official counts and court rulings indicating otherwise.
The latest remarks come as senior members of Trump’s administration have floated the controversial idea of suspending habeas corpus—a constitutional protection against unlawful detention—to fast-track deportations.
Stephen Miller, a senior adviser to the president and architect of many of Trump’s immigration policies, told reporters on Friday that the administration is “actively looking at” the suspension of habeas corpus as a legal strategy.
“The Constitution is clear… the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus could be suspended in time of invasion,” Miller said, adding that whether the administration proceeds will “depend on whether the courts do the right thing.”
The U.S. Constitution allows suspension of habeas corpus “unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it.” Critics argue that invoking this clause in the context of immigration is an extreme overreach and sets a dangerous precedent.
Immigration and civil rights experts reacted swiftly to Trump’s comments, warning of a constitutional crisis.
“Suspending habeas corpus to deport people en masse is not only unlawful, it’s authoritarian,” said Cecillia Wang, deputy legal director at the American Civil Liberties Union.
“The courts have consistently upheld that non-citizens have rights under the Constitution.”
Trump’s claim of 21 million undocumented immigrants far exceeds independent estimates.
The Pew Research Center and the Department of Homeland Security estimate the undocumented population at approximately 10 to 11 million people—figures that have remained largely stable for over a decade.
The administration has suffered recent legal setbacks in high-profile deportation cases.
In one instance, two international students—Rumeysa Ozturk and Mahmoud Khalil—successfully challenged their deportation orders after being targeted for pro-Palestinian speech, using habeas corpus to remain in the country.
Critics have described Trump’s invocation of an “invasion” as part of a broader strategy to expand executive power and sidestep judicial oversight.
In April, Trump suggested that the judiciary should be “reined in” after federal judges struck down key immigration rules, including asylum restrictions and the fast-track removal of certain migrants.
Trump’s messaging aligns with a broader campaign strategy to frame immigration as a national emergency ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
Analysts say the focus on mass deportations and judicial defiance resonates with segments of his political base, particularly in states grappling with migrant surges.
However, the rhetoric is also drawing backlash from legal scholars and advocacy groups who warn of its implications for civil liberties.
“No president should have the authority to declare millions of people criminals without due process,” said Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of the UC Berkeley School of Law.
“That is the foundation of tyranny.”
The U.S. Supreme Court has not commented on the administration’s emerging legal arguments.
Court observers note that any effort to suspend habeas corpus would likely trigger a high-stakes constitutional showdown.
