HONOLULU, Hawaiʻi — The ACLU of Hawaiʻi (“ACLU-HI”) highlighted a groundbreaking national ACLU report, 76 Ways That Mass Deportation Breaks Our Democracy, which details the catastrophic systemic, constitutional, and economic fallout of proposed mass deportation policies. The report warns that executing aggressive federal immigration mandates will fracture democratic norms, erode civil liberties, and severely worsen the ongoing cost-of-living crisis across the Hawaiian islands.
The exhaustive analysis demonstrates that mass deportation operations rely heavily on unprecedented federal overreach, including the expansion of sweeping surveillance, routine violations of due process, and heightened racial profiling that threatens the constitutional protections of all residents, regardless of immigration status.
The report details how removing millions of people from the workforce would cripple vital local industries—including hospitality, agriculture, and healthcare—triggering widespread worker shortages, supply chain disruptions, and immediate price increases for Hawaii’s working families.
“Mass deportation is being used as a tool to create the conditions of fear which allow for a tyrannical state force to take root, because everyone fears deportation, particularly when the government is deporting U.S. citizens. It is a direct threat to the people, the economy, and the ethos of Hawaiʻi,” said Salmah Rizvi, Executive Director of the ACLU of Hawaiʻi. “Our democratic institutions rely on trust, equality, and the rule of law. Weaponizing federal power to terrorize immigrant communities fractures that trust and weakens the civil liberties of every person who calls these islands home.”
By drawing on data across constitutional law, economics, and public policy, the national report provides a comprehensive overview of how mass deportation strategies undermine local authority and civil rights across the country.
“Since January 2025, ICE’s aggressive deportation agenda has been fueled by a dangerous expansion of surveillance, racial profiling, and the erosion of basic due process,” said Leilani Stacy, ACLU-HI Immigrants’ Rights Attorney. “Our communities in Hawai‘i have suffered in a number of ways: families have been torn apart, people are scared to attend social gatherings or necessary appointments at medical facilities, and our neighbors are being locked up in violation of the law. These impacts are detrimental to the social fabric of our islands, as well as our economy and democracy.”
The full report, 76 Ways That Mass Deportation Breaks Our Democracy, including detailed breakdowns of constitutional, economic, and institutional impacts, is available online at aclu.org/76-ways.
###
The American Civil Liberties Union of Hawai‘i strives to build an equitable society. Our mission is to protect and promote the civil liberties and fundamental rights enshrined in the United States and Hawai‘i constitutions through litigation, legislation, and public education. We serve – and center the voices of – our impacted and vulnerable communities, regardless of background, status, or circumstance. As a non-partisan non-profit organization, we provide our services at no cost to the public, and we never accept government funds.
Stay Informed
Sign up to be the first to hear about how to take action.
By completing this form, I agree to receive occasional emails per the terms of the ACLU’s privacy statement.
By completing this form, I agree to receive occasional emails per the terms of the ACLU’s privacy statement.