5 Ways a Trump Presidency Could Impact Michigan: Electric Cars, Deportations and More

As the nation expects President-elect Donald Trump returns In the White House next year, there are several policy issues the bombastic businessman championed on the campaign trail that could have an impact on Michiganders.

Some have very specific ties to Michigan, such as changes that could impact the Detroit Three and the U.S. auto industry. Others, such as the mass deportation of undocumented immigrants, would have a much broader impact across the country if implemented.

To be clear, analyzing future policy moves always requires some forecasting. It’s also important to note congressional control: Trump is poised to take over the GOP-controlled US Senate, but the composition of the US House of Representatives remains unknown as of Wednesday afternoon.

A Republican purge of the executive and legislative branches would theoretically clear the way for Trump to implement more of his plans, although the trifecta often failed to produce policy victories for Trump during the first two years of his last term as president.

Still, Trump’s decisive victory means Michiganders should expect changes on at least these issues.

Electric cars

It’s been almost a decade now Trump promised to revive the US auto industry. Although it did not materialize during his first term, Trump and other Republicans have repeatedly taken advantage of U.S. support for electric vehicles. President Joe Biden, Governor Gretchen Whitmer and others during their recent campaign.

Trump has a somewhat quixotic stance on electric vehicles, consistently backing mega-supporter Elon Musk, the leader of electric vehicle giant Tesla, but consistently criticizing any government action that might support these cars. The Biden administration has worked with U.S. auto companies to subsidize electric vehicle production and create tax subsidies for consumers, while Whitmer and Democrats in the Michigan Legislature have also pushed for large government subsidies.

Trump appears likely to target emissions standards, tax breaks and other rules that Republicans say unfairly prioritize sales and production of electric vehicles. Will federal and state subsidies for electric vehicles continue under a Trump presidency? It’s hard to say – in Michigan, conservatives both supported and opposed using tax dollars to create jobs in the auto industry.

The plant north of Big Rapids could be the face of any Trump administration changes to electric vehicles. Gotion Factory, Inc. promises to create hundreds of jobs and invest billions in the community and economy. But it proved a lightning rod during the election campaign, with Conservatives criticizing both the incentives for the electric vehicle battery plant and the company’s ties to China. There is a real possibility that the Trump administration will try to derail the project. But could voters view this as opposition to job creation in Michigan? Time will show.

Mass deportation

Trump promised to fulfill largest deportation program in US history.

Although the number of illegal immigrants is difficult to track, numerous sources estimate the total number in the United States to be approximately 10–12 million, with an estimated 75,000 to 175,000 living in Michigan. report from Pew Research Center. While this is a relatively small portion of the country’s population, any large-scale effort to drive that many people out of the state would have a clear impact on a number of fronts.

The Trump campaign suggests, without evidence, that the mass deportation plan will ease the country’s affordable housing crisis. But these efforts are likely to have a negative impact on at least some employers: A 2019 Migration Policy Institute analysis shows there are 56,000 undocumented immigrants working in Michigan, many of them in manufacturing, construction and agriculture. .

The actions of government officials who separate families by deporting children, parents, or other loved ones will have an immeasurably greater impact on society beyond the impact on the economy or housing markets.

Prices and inflation

Perhaps no other issue has pushed Trump back into the White House more than consumer goods prices. Voters have consistently expressed dissatisfaction with rising prices for food, clothing, housing and more, largely exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the Biden administration’s response.

To some extent, Trump is on a good trajectory: While inflation has risen sharply since the Biden administration repeatedly handed out pandemic stimulus checks, inflation has essentially returned to pre-pandemic levels in recent months. Prices remain high in some sectors, but wages overall have also risen, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

However, Trump has offered at least two major proposals that he believes will have a big impact on the cost of goods: high tariffs And no taxes on tips.

Trump says imposing tariffs on imported goods will ultimately help American businesses and consumers by theoretically reducing demand for some foreign goods. This plan is countered by a host of economists, who point out that American businesses and consumers actually pay the increased costs associated with these tariffs, rather than producers in other countries.

And no tip taxes would leave more money in people’s pockets, which theoretically means tipped workers would be slower to feel the cost increases.

Foreign policy

Two foreign conflicts played a huge role in Michigan’s presidential election: the wars in Gaza and Ukraine.

Many in the state significant Arab-American population condemned the Biden administration’s continued support for Israel and its war against Hamas. Tens of thousands of Palestinians had already been killed, and many in Michigan believed Biden – and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris – had not done enough to prevent further Israeli attacks.

Trump called for an end to the war during that campaign. But he has repeatedly expressed support for Israel both before and after the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that sparked the ongoing war. He also imposed a “Muslim ban” during his last presidency, signing an executive order banning entry into the United States by people from six Muslim-majority countries.

Trump has also repeatedly said that Russia would not have invaded Ukraine if he were president. It is likely that the GOP-controlled Congress could end, if not limit, ongoing financial support for Ukraine, which Biden and his administration have considered vital in the global effort to counter Putin’s aggression.

Repeal of the Affordable Care Act

It became something of a joke during Trump’s first presidency, when the GOP-controlled US House of Representatives voted to repeal the Obama-era health care plan more than 50 times just for trying to die in the US Senate.

But now a Republican majority in both chambers could mean changes to the widely popular health care program. It’s unclear exactly what might change: During one of the 2024 presidential debates, Trump said he had a “concept of a plan” to replace the law.

As of 2023 federal data shows More than 1.3 million Michiganders have health care coverage under the Affordable Care Act. Before its implementation, many people who had little money or had expensive pre-existing conditions struggled to maintain insurance. The law also allows children to continue on their parents’ plan until they turn 26.

Contact Dave Boucher at [email protected] and on X, formerly Twitter, @Dave_Boucher1.