This Dec. 17, 2016 photo shows a Donald Trump campaign sign along a highway near Los Banos, Calif. A California farmer says Donald Trump's campaign vow to deport millions of immigrants who are in the country illegally pushed him into buying more equipment, cutting the number of workers he'll need during the next harvest. Others in California's farming industry say Trump's tough campaign talk targeting immigrants in the country illegally, including a vast number of farmworkers, spurred them into action, too. (AP Photo/Scott Smith)

Fine print: Over 75% of illegals could be deported under Trump orders

By Paul Bedard (@SecretsBedard) • 2/8/17 11:12 AM

The bulk of illegal immigrants would be eligible for deportation under President Trump's executive orders, not just those who went on to commit additional crimes, according to a new expert analysis.

Overall, more than 11 million of the estimated 13 million-14 million illegals in the United States come under the deportation language signed by Trump, according to the Center for Immigration Studies.

In the latest post on the CIS page, Ronald W. Mortensen, a retired career U.S. Foreign Service Office, highlighted three key provisions in Executive Order 13768 that prioritize illegal immigrants for removal. They are:

— Those who "have committed acts that constitute a chargeable criminal offense." He said that includes entering the U.S. illegally and not through an official border crossing zone.

— Those who have committed fraud "before a governmental agency." That would sweep most of those who claim to pay Social Security from their paychecks. He said that paying the tax would require the immigrants to receive a number fraudulently.

— Those who have "abused any program related to receipt of public benefits," such as welfare or federal food assistance.

Mortensen cited estimations from the Los Angeles Times that over 11 million would be covered by the executive order.

"The advocates for illegal aliens apparently never thought that the federal government would hold illegal aliens accountable for their crimes, otherwise why would they have highlighted their criminal activities in an attempt to show that they are law abiding citizens? For example, those supporting illegal aliens have insisted for years that they obey the tax laws, as demonstrated by the fact that they pay Social Security (payroll taxes) on income they have unlawfully earned. Of course, the only way the vast majority of illegal aliens can pay payroll taxes is by using fraudulently obtained Social Security numbers, and in many cases, the stolen identities of American citizens. These actions are felonies," said the CIS analysis.

Read it all here.