President-elect Donald Trump has identified border security as one of his top priorities following his inauguration, stating that mass deportation of undocumented immigrants is the only viable option.

In a phone interview with NBC on the 7th, Trump emphasized the need for a "strong and solid" border while also expressing a desire to welcome people into the country legally, NBC reported. "I’m not someone who says, ‘No, you can't come in,’” Trump explained, underscoring his openness to legal immigration.

Asked about the cost implications of enforcing his campaign promise to carry out the "largest deportation of undocumented immigrants in U.S. history," Trump dismissed concerns over expenses, referencing violent crimes such as murder committed by undocumented immigrants and reiterating, “We have no choice.”

During his campaign, Trump repeatedly vowed to close the southern border and launch the largest deportation operation in American history from his first day in office, emphasizing tougher anti-immigration rhetoric to gain conservative support. He argued that the Biden administration's failure to properly manage the southern border has led to a massive influx of undocumented immigrants who commit crimes and take jobs from American citizens. Immigration attorney Jon Joon Chun noted that deportations could be divided into border and domestic deportations, citing Trump's previous administration's record of deporting one million undocumented immigrants, mostly targeting criminals. Still, he warned that more frequent raids and arrests may increase anxiety in workplaces across the country.

Despite Trump’s previous suggestions to increase the number of deportations, Joon Chun predicted a significant expansion would be challenging due to high costs. He added that anti-immigration policies could complicate and delay employment and family-based immigration processes, potentially impacting the Korean American community significantly.

Trump also commented on his success among Hispanic, youth, women, and Asian voters in the recent election, stating, “I believe there’s a shift in voter demographics because the Democratic Party no longer aligns with this country’s ideals.” He criticized Democrats' calls to defund the police, a movement that arose in response to incidents of police violence against Black suspects, and pointed out that even Vice President Kamala Harris once expressed support for this cause.

When asked about his post-election call with President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump described it as “very respectful” and mentioned plans to have lunch with President Biden “very soon.” Trump noted that he has spoken with approximately 70 world leaders since his victory was announced on the morning of the 6th, including a “very good conversation” with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He also mentioned a conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, though he did not provide details, and added that he expects to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin soon.