Trump is “so close” that the Azores are prepared for the worst

Less than a week before Donald Trump takes office as the new president of the USA, the Azores assume that They are preparing for the worst. Next door, there must be a wave of deportations affecting the archipelago.

The Government of the Azores is preparing a contingency plan to welcome Azorean emigrants who may be deported by Donald Trumpwho will be inaugurated on January 20 as the new president of the United States.

“It’s not the predictable scenario, but we are preparing for the worst”, said this Monday, the regional secretary for Parliamentary Affairs and Communities, in a press conference, in the city of Horta, admitting that they could become “hundreds” of emigrants from the Azores deported, who will be in an illegal situation in the USA.

As explained Paulo Estêvãothe region has already prepared a report regarding the impact that the “adoption of more restrictive policies”, following the election of Donald Trump, could have among the Azorean community residing in that country, especially in the states of Rhode Island, Massachusetts or California.

“What is being done is prepare responses in the area of ​​housingbecause people cannot stay on the street, preparing responses in the area of social supportand preparing responses in the insertion area, at the level of jobin addition to answers in health and educational areas”, said the government official.

“Fear” of Trump unjustified?

Paulo Estêvão said he was concerned about the policies announced by the now elected Republican President in relation to immigration.

However, he remembered that it was during Donald Trump’s first term what fewer Azorean emigrants were deported to the Azores: 20 in 2017; 25 in 2018; 18 in 2019; 11 in 2020; and five in 2021.

The highest number of deportations to the Azoresoriginating from the United States of America, occurred between 1997 and 2013, during the administrations of George Bush and Barack Obama.

During this period, they were forced to leave the U.S. more than 800 Azoreans who lived illegally in the country.