The Trump Administration Ramps Up Immigration Crackdown with Swift Action
Within hours of taking office, President Donald Trump signed a series of executive actions to rolled out his immigration agenda, resulting in a sweeping crackdown on immigration. The moves have already had far-reaching impacts for those inside and outside the country.
The administration has effectively closed the US southern border to asylum seekers, severely limited who is eligible to enter the country, and laid the groundwork for swift deportations of migrants already in the US. The Trump administration has also fired key officials overseeing immigration courts and is threatening to prosecute state and local officials who resist its plans.
Federal agencies, including the Justice Department, are standing up their immigration crackdown, with the department ordering legal service providers to stop offering certain services to immigrants, including legal orientation, help at immigration courts, and counsel for children. This has resulted in providers having to pull staff from help desks at certain immigration courts to avoid falling out of compliance.
The administration has also expanded the pool of undocumented immigrants eligible for fast-track deportation without a judicial hearing, and has reinstated the “Remain in Mexico” policy, requiring migrants to stay in Mexico while they go through their immigration proceedings in the US. The policy requires Mexico’s buy-in.
The Department of State has notified resettlement partners that refugee flights have been canceled, and processing has been suspended, effectively shuttering the refugee resettlement program. The move has left many refugees facing cancellation of their travel plans, and some have seen their travels canceled just days or hours before they were set to begin their new lives in the US.
The administration has also expanded enforcement efforts, with Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducting targeted operations, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons authorizing the arrest of people in or near sensitive areas like schools and churches. The Trump administration has also reversed guidelines set by the Biden administration, allowing for enforcement actions in or near these areas.
The changes have elicited concerns from immigration advocates, with some arguing that the measures will create an environment of fear and make it more difficult for immigrants to access their rights. Others believe the moves are necessary to address immigration concerns and keep the country safe.