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President Trump's flurry of executive actions on immigration in his first hours in office are the latest in an effort to roll back four years of policies put in place by the Biden administration and reimpose policies that fundamentally upend America's global role. It was the tip. A sanctuary for refugees and immigrants.
In a series of orders signed Monday night, Mr. Trump announced plans to close the border to immigrants and systematically crack down on illegal immigrants already in the United States. This was part of a policy crackdown that included declaring a national emergency to deploy the military. A bid to head to the border and cut off birthright citizenship for noncitizen children.
While some of the orders are likely to face severe legal challenges and may be difficult or impossible to enforce, the orders come amid Trump's frequent calls for border enforcement crackdowns and escalating insurrection activity. It sent an unmistakable message that he is serious about fulfilling his campaign promises. – making immigration central to his political identity.
“With these actions, we will begin a complete restoration of America and a revolution of common sense,” Trump said in the Capitol Rotunda after taking the oath of office. “All illegal immigration will cease immediately and we will begin the process of returning millions of criminal aliens to their original locations.”
Just minutes after Trump was sworn in, his administration shut down a government program created by his predecessor that allowed immigrants to secure appointments to enter the U.S. from legal ports of entry through an app. . The suspension of the program, known as CBP One, left about 30,000 immigrants scheduled to enter the U.S. in limbo and meant it would be much more difficult to enter the country in the future.
Hours later, Trump was in the Oval Office blocking the entry of asylum seekers and closing the border to those seeking protection in the United States. The Trump administration has argued that illegal border crossings pose national security and public health concerns. Trump did not mention the specific threat of the disease, only that migrants were not providing “comprehensive health information” to border officials and posed a public health risk.
He declared a national emergency on the U.S.-Mexico border, allowing him to bypass Congress and unlock federal funding for border wall construction and other enforcement efforts. Trump appeared to be going further than simply having the military assist border officials with construction. He also signed an order giving the military a clear role in immigration enforcement, telling the Pentagon to “close our borders and preserve the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and security of the United States by repelling all forms of aggression.” He instructed them to make a plan. ”
This directive would likely conflict with an 1870s law known as the Posse Posse Act, which generally limits the use of federal regular forces for domestic police purposes.
“This is a really dangerous and wrong idea,” said Elizabeth Goitein, senior director of the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law, which directs the military to treat the border as a law enforcement issue instead. he added. But it was a full-scale military operation.
Trump took this step even though the situation at the border is much calmer, with border crossings plummeting since the Biden administration took major steps to restrict immigration.
Still, many of the executive actions Mr. Trump has previewed in recent years are attempts to fulfill his promises to reduce immigration and enact mass deportations.
In a separate order issued Monday, Trump declared that the government would no longer treat all U.S.-born children as citizens, effectively ignoring the constitutional guarantee of birthright citizenship. Ta. The order requires federal agencies, starting on the 30th, to no longer issue citizenship documents to U.S.-born children whose mothers are in the country illegally or whose mothers are on temporary visas if their fathers are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents. instructed.
The move represents an unprecedented change to the 157-year-old 14th Amendment and within hours prompted a lawsuit from the American Civil Liberties Union.
Trump cannot single-handedly abolish birthright citizenship. Changes to the constitution require a supermajority in Congress, followed by ratification by three-quarters of the states. However, refusing to issue citizenship documents to certain immigrant children effectively means that they may be barred from using public services, the same effect as abolishing their rights. may result in
“What the Trump administration has in store goes far beyond immigration policy,” said Vanessa Cárdenas, executive director of America's Voice, a pro-immigration think tank. “For example, efforts to undermine 150 years of established laws and hard-won progress by attacking birthright citizenship are setting this country back and threatening America's future. I'm trying to rebuild it.”
Trump signed an order Monday reversing a series of former President Joseph R. Biden Jr.'s immigration policies in front of thousands of supporters at Capital One Arena. This included establishing a task force to reunite separated families. President Trump's zero tolerance policy. Another revived Mr. Trump's efforts to withhold federal funds from local agencies that refuse to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Trump is likely to issue further orders on immigration in the coming days, but there have already been signs of major changes to the system in his first hours in office.
At the El Chaparral border crossing in Tijuana, Mexico, dozens of migrants stared at their cell phone screens to see if their reservations were still valid, but instead they were told “existing reservations have been cancelled.” I found this sad message.
“I'm in shock,” said Maura Hernandez, who arrived with her four young children and had a visit scheduled for Tuesday.
“We don't know what will happen to us,” she said, adding that they had fled their homes amid widespread insecurity.
That was just one aspect of Trump's opening day moves.
In one executive order, Trump also mentioned the possibility of imposing a travel ban, similar to what he did during his first term. He directed his administration to take 60 days to identify countries where it is impossible to thoroughly screen visitors and visa applicants and pose a potential risk to national security. In such cases, the administration should consider whether to completely or partially ban people from those countries from entering the United States.
Trump also halts refugee resettlement The government has also strengthened the screening process for people wishing to enter the United States from overseas. He signed an executive order ending “catch and release,” the practice of releasing immigrants who cross the border into the United States to await court appearances. As with many of Mr. Trump's actions, the details of this order remain unclear.
Trump also designated drug cartels as terrorist organizations, increasing his administration's ability to target them.
In June, the Biden administration took action to ban asylum for immigrants who enter the country illegally. The order remains in place, and the number of border crossings has fallen sharply in recent months. Border officials used the order to quickly turn back migrants who were apprehended after crossing the border without authorization.
“All illegal aliens seeking to enter the United States should turn back now,” Stephen Miller, Trump's deputy chief of staff and architect of anti-immigrant policies, said on social media on Monday. “Anyone who enters the United States without authorization will be prosecuted and deported.”
Trump also said he would reinstate the so-called Remain in Mexico policy, which forces immigrants to wait in the country until their immigration cases are due in court. The policy was the centerpiece of Trump's border enforcement efforts during his first term. However, for the Trump administration to fully implement this policy, it will need Mexico's cooperation.
At a press conference Monday morning, Mexico's Foreign Minister Juan Ramon de la Fuente said that his country does not agree to the reinstatement of the Remain in Mexico policy and that if it were reinstated, Mexico would not be able to apply for U.S. asylum. He stated that there is no obligation to process the Still, he said the country would find a way to operate “in the best way possible.”
Paulina Villegas contributed reporting from Tijuana, Mexico, Emiliano Rodríguez Mega from Mexico City, and Eric Schmitt from Washington.