It was one of his many campaign promises. When the United States President Donald Trump sets his mind on something, you can be sure that he will act on it. While no chartered aircraft carrying Senegalese migrants has yet landed on the tarmac of Blaise Diagne International Airport, vigilance remains essential. 

“The best way to get to know oneself is to try to understand others.” This quote from André Gide, to say the least, is not shared by one of the most powerful leaders on the planet, U.S. President Donald Trump. In fact, according to official figures from the Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency, Donald Trump oversaw 80,000 deportations every year during his first term in office (2017-2021). This figure fell under the Biden administration (2021-2025), with 35,000 deportations annually. After erecting walls  on the border with Mexico, Trumpis planning on mass deportations of migrants to their respective places of origin. It should be noted at the outset, that more than 1,689 Senegalese are on the US immigration police register with an unconditional deportation notice. These individuals are among the nearly one and a half million foreigners facing an extremely harsh migration policy imposed by U.S. authorities. The Senegalese are part of the same group, affected by the particularly severe immigration measures enforced by American authorities.

U.S. judiciary as last line of defence 

Fortunately, however, there is, to some extent, a counterweight that could undermine Trump’s plan. While many of the affected countries appear helpless in the face of the occupant of the White House, the objection could come from within the U.S. Indeed, like a Trojan Horse, the American justice system could serve as a buffer against Trumpism; a trend that has never been more apparent. At least, that is the view of Abdou Khadre Diop, President of the Network of African Legal Experts on Migration in West and Central Africa. “I was recently in the United States, at F16 to be precise,” he says, but he quickly points out that young people in irregular situations are in awe of what President Donald Trump has in mind. After returning from America, the university lecturer spoke of the counter-power that could curb the oncoming migration deportation wave. ‘For the time being, only the law could force the billionaire president’s hand. As such, we dare to hope that the American judiciary will prove resilient enough to prevent all these migrants from the mega-human expedition that Washington intends to organize,’he added.

Taking a similar approach to the Senegalese professor, Guillaume Goulard, State Adviser and Deputy Chairman of the Home Affairs Section, suggests that this is far from an easy task. ‘It is clear that the American judiciary today constitutes a distinct obstacle to what President Trump is advocating. However, it is by no means a foregone conclusion, as the members of the Supreme Court, the ultimate judicial body in the United States, were appointed by Donald Trump himself. We must remain optimistic that they are ready to stand up to their master, but once again, nothing is guaranteed.’ This expert, a lawyer by profession, will be speaking on this same topic at the 6th Forum Harmattan dedicated to Migration.”

The Vatican weighs in

In addition to the U.S. judiciary, which could significantly influence the outcome, another potentially effective counterweight to Trump’s position could come directly from the Holy See. As recently as February 11, in an epistle to the bishops of the 195 dioceses in the United States, Pope Francis expressed his total disagreement with one of the many facets of Trumpism.

‘I have been closely monitoring the major crisis unfolding in the United States with the launch of a programme of mass deportations. An informed conscience cannot fail to critically judge and express its disagreement with any measure that tacitly or explicitly identifies the illegal status of certain migrants with criminality,’ reads the famous papal missive.

However, the letter acknowledges that it is also necessary to ‘recognize the right of a nation to defend itself and protect its communities against those who have committed violent or serious crimes in the country or before their arrival there.’ Yet, according to the Vatican correspondence, human movement is often, and almost always, motivated by the instinct for survival, as explained below:

‘That said, the act of deporting people, who have often fled their own land due to extreme poverty, insecurity, exploitation, persecution, or serious environmental disasters, undermines the dignity of many men and women, as well as entire families, and places them in a state of vulnerability, devoid of the necessary protection.’

The Vatican letter goes on to stress the importance of prioritising the human condition above all else. ‘I urge all the believers of the Catholic Church, and all men and women of good faith, not to yield to narratives that discriminate against and cause unnecessary suffering to our migrant and refugee brethren. Together, with charity and open hearts, we are all called to live in solidarity and fraternity, to build bridges that bring us ever closer, to avoid the barriers of ignominy, and to learn to surrender our lives as Jesus Christ surrendered His for the salvation of all.’