Whoopi Goldberg fears Donald Trump’s deportation policies could target anyone, including her

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Whoopi Goldberg has voiced deep concerns about President Donald Trump’s immigration policies, suggesting they could lead to wrongful deportations, including her own.

The 69-year-old host of 'The View' made these remarks during the 'Hot Topics' segment of the daytime talk show on Monday, March 17.

Whoopi Goldberg's on Donald Trump's immigration crackdown

Whoopi Goldberg reacted to reports that the Trump administration had deported hundreds of alleged Tren de Aragua (TdA) gang members to El Salvador despite a federal judge’s temporary injunction against the deportations.

The White House has denied defying court orders and asserted that the deportations were carried out in compliance with federal policies. 

However, Goldberg remains highly skeptical, warning that overly broad immigration enforcement could put even law-abiding citizens at risk.

“You just gotta keep your eyes open, y’all,” Goldberg cautioned.

“Because if they can just come up and take somebody because they’ve made a decision that you’re supposed to be that person, any one of us could find ourselves being deported to some country when we’ve never been there,” she added.

Her co-host Ana Navarro responded with a mix of humor and apprehension, saying, “Don’t give them any ideas, girl.”

Whoopi Goldberg questions government’s access to private information

Whoopi Goldberg also took issue with what she sees as government overreach, particularly regarding access to private citizen data.

“Listen, it is very clear to me that if we don’t continue to say we want, listen, I understand you want to clean out all the old, some bad stuff. I get it, but why do you now have access to my personal information?” Goldberg asked.

“I get what the things you are trying to do, I don’t understand why you're taking my stuff. My personal, not mine personally, but each and every one of you! And your Constitutional right to free speech,” she continued. 

Debate over transparency in deportation cases

Whoopi Goldberg also questioned whether the deported individuals had been detained lawfully before their removal, suggesting that the public is often left in the dark about government actions.

“I think the problem, for many Americans, is that ‘you do stuff, and nobody has any idea what’s going on,’” she said.

Goldberg's co-host Sara Haines echoed her sentiments, arguing that the government’s failure to disclose details fuels public distrust.

“I feel the same way you do, Whoopi. It’s the transparency,” Haines said.

“Because if they were to release who these people were, what they did, and that it was confirmed they are part of this gang, I think anyone would get on board. It’s the fact that they keep hiding it and making mistakes that makes me wary,” she added. 

Donald Trump dodges direct answer on court order violation

The White House has pushed back against claims that it disregarded the federal judge’s order, Newsweek reported.

In a statement issued Monday, March 17, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt maintained that the administration did not violate any legal directives.

“The order, which had no lawful basis, was issued after terrorist TdA aliens had already been removed from US territory,” Leavitt wrote on X.

“The written order and the administration’s actions do not conflict. Moreover, as the Supreme Court has repeatedly made clear, federal courts generally have no jurisdiction over the president’s conduct of foreign affairs, his authorities under the Alien Enemies Act, and his core Article II powers to remove foreign alien terrorists from US soil and repel a declared invasion,” read the statement.

Leavitt further insisted that “a single judge in a single city cannot direct the movements of an aircraft carrying foreign alien terrorists who were physically expelled from US soil.”

When asked by reporters whether his administration had knowingly violated the federal judge’s order, Donald Trump deflected, offering a noncommittal response.

“I don’t know. You have to speak to the lawyers about that,” Trump said, before adding, “I can tell you this. These were bad people.”