Dr. Raul Ruiz reacts to President Trump’s immigration policies

President Donald Trump’s promised crackdown on illegal immigration is one step closer to becoming a reality.

U.S Rep. Raul Ruiz raised concerns over what mass deportation could mean for the Valley.

The Department of Homeland Security issued two memorandums, which open a broader spectrum of immigrants subject to deportation.

The Trump administration is expected to hire thousands of immigration officers to assist in deportation. But this time, officers can also detain people who do not have criminal convictions, which can affect an estimated 11 million U.S. workers. “You know, I think we need to peel out the outer layers of the rhetoric of fear and scapegoating, and really focus on the pragmatic solutions of passing comprehensive immigration reform,” Dr. Ruiz said at a congressional breakfast Wednesday. Ruiz went on to say the Valley’s economy can be in danger. “Mass deportation will ruin our tourism, will ruin our agricultural economy locally, which is two of the top three industries that we rely on for economic growth. We need to ensure that our streets and our nations are safe, protect our borders and at the same time we have to make sure that we keep families together,” said Ruiz.