Since taking office in January 2017, President Donald Trump’s administration has been focused on changing the way America’s immigration system works. For years, the issue of immigration has been a contentious one in the United States, with both sides of the political spectrum having different opinions on the type of immigrant who should be allowed to enter the country and how they should be processed once they arrive. In this article, we will examine some of the key immigration policies that have been implemented by the Trump administration.
The first policy that the Trump administration implemented was the Muslim travel ban, also known as Executive Order 13769. The executive order, which was signed in January 2017, restricted citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States for at least 90 days. The order also suspended the admission of refugees for 120 days, while Syrian refugees were banned indefinitely. The travel ban was met with protests and legal challenges, with opponents arguing that it was discriminatory and unconstitutional. In February 2017, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a ruling by a federal judge blocking the travel ban. The Trump administration issued a revised version of the travel ban in March 2017, but it too was met with legal challenges.
Another key immigration policy implemented by the Trump administration was the decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. DACA was implemented by President Barack Obama in 2012 and allowed undocumented immigrants who arrived in the United States as children to apply for temporary protection from deportation. The Trump administration announced in September 2017 that it would end the program, with officials arguing that it was an unconstitutional overreach by the executive branch. DACA has since been the subject of legal challenges, with several court rulings temporarily blocking the administration from ending the program. In June 2020, the Supreme Court ruled that the Trump administration’s attempt to end DACA was unlawful, but the fight over the program’s future continues.
The Trump administration has also sought to crack down on illegal immigration by implementing policies that allow for the detention and removal of undocumented immigrants. In June 2018, the administration implemented a “zero tolerance” policy that resulted in the separation of migrant families at the U.S.-Mexico border. The policy drew widespread criticism, with opponents arguing that it was inhumane and cruel. The Trump administration eventually ended the policy after months of intense public backlash.
In addition to the policies mentioned above, the Trump administration has implemented a range of other immigration policies, including the so-called “public charge” rule, which allows officials to deny green cards to immigrants who are deemed likely to become a burden on the government. The administration has also sought to limit the number of refugees admitted to the United States, leading to a drastic reduction in the number of refugees resettled in the country.
In conclusion, the Trump administration’s immigration policies have been a major source of controversy and debate since the president took office. The policies implemented by the administration have sought to restrict immigration, both legal and illegal, and have included measures like the Muslim travel ban, the end of DACA, and the detention of migrant families. While supporters of the administration’s policies argue that they are necessary to protect national security and reduce the burden on the U.S. government, opponents say that they are discriminatory and inhumane. The debate over immigration in the United States is likely to continue for years to come, with both sides of the issue having differing opinions on how the country should handle this complex and controversial issue.