MEXICO CITY — Aggressive anti-immigrant policies have been a hallmark of U.S. President Donald Trump’s first year back in the White House, and this appears unlikely to change in 2026. A growing number of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents carry out raids and deportations, often in defiance of judges’ orders and repeatedly sweeping up U.S. citizens, and the administration is closing legal pathways to immigration, including by halting all applications for migrants from 19 countries. Now, other countries concerned about immigration are wondering if they should follow Trump’s lead. But can Trump’s immigration policy really be considered successful? Leaving aside the legal issues raised by ICE’s disregard for due process and the economic consequences of mass deportations, the answer is a resounding no. Trump’s strategy is two-pronged: remove as many immigrants as possible and deter new immigrants from attempting to enter. The more aggressive the tactics used to advance the first objective, the easier it will be to achieve the second. The possibility of being depo