The Fugitive Slave Act galvanized public opinion in the North against slavery because it compelled individual citizens to become agents of the slave power. In a similar vein, it is clear that, even with the unlawful assistance of the military, Trump will have to rely on state and municipal governments to help identify illegal immigrants for deportation. How will the blue states react?
One of the themes of the next four years will revolve around Trump’s efforts to use federal funds, the judiciary, and possibly the military to force blue state governments to cooperate with the deportation scheme. They are already gearing up to resist. Call it the new Underground Railroad.