Donald Trump is preparing a package of tough executive actions for his first day in office, aimed at stepped-up immigration enforcement and some of the main policies of the Biden administration. These moves will be spearheaded by incoming “border czar” Tom Homan and a slate of Republican immigration hawks on border security, deportations, and Biden-era humanitarian programs.
Boosting Immigration Enforcement
Some of the first moves of the Trump administration include an executive order to hugely increase the scope of immigration enforcement. The order will mainly make federal immigration officers gain all powers to arrest people who have no criminal records. The new administration will deal in most deportations, focusing on people ordered to leave the U.S. but remain within the country against law.
Tom Homan, former acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, will oversee these efforts. A longtime immigration enforcer, Homan is likely to play a leading role in implementing some of Trump’s policy initiatives, including deportation for those without any legal means by which to remain in the United States.
“All of these should be on the table,” said Mark Morgan, a former immigration official in the Trump administration. The measure may include the use of military planes in deportations and coordination between different agencies for the removal of immigrants.
National Guard and Border Wall Construction
Trump plans to deploy National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexico border to boost security and declare a national emergency to garner funds to build a border wall. Construction of the wall, a hallmark of Trump’s first term, will likely resume with high priority in Arizona.
“We’re going to surge troops to the border and restart wall construction,” one source briefed on the matter said. The move is likely to face stern opposition from Democratic governors, who would include Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs, who already spoke out against Trump’s enforcement plans.
Halting Biden’s Humanitarian Programs
Another set of programs that will reach their expiration date, according to Trump, include allowing hundreds of thousands of migrants to enter the U.S. legally under various key programs introduced by the Biden administration. Among the temporary “parole” program allowing migrants to come in and then stay in the U.S. legally under work permits. The Trump administration is likely to end such programs and will also know how to make migrants who came in those routes leave without punishment.
He is also set to revive the so-called “Remain in Mexico” policy, where asylum seekers have been forced to wait out their U.S. cases in Mexico. It was a signature campaign promise of Trump’s first term and likely one of his key focuses entering his second.
On the first day of Trump in office, legal battles would arise, as the immigration agenda would be considered the major theme of the new president. Most of the policies enumerated by Trump are expected to be opposed by Democratic-led states, pro-immigration groups, and civil liberties organizations like the ACLU.
The spokesperson gave no comment on the details of the transition plan, but indeed, it is a central theme in Trump’s presidential bid: fighting illegal immigration and increasing deportations.
Day One Immigration Orders Include Border Enforcement, Deportations, and Wall Construction
On the border issue, Trump’s first-day executive orders will contain a holistic approach on illegal immigration. More than arresting and deporting immigrants, his team intends to send more troops down to the border and put emphasis on the resumption of the border wall construction. The approach promises to reverse many of Biden’s immigration policies which have continually struggled to reduce the use of aggressive enforcement measures.
Trump’s Aggressive Border Agenda Takes Shape
As President Donald Trump prepares to become president for the second time, an ambitious immigration agenda is already undergoing full-fledged planning on the administration’s part, centering the focus around a harder line against illegal immigration. The new administration seems to intend to make the system of deportation the primary area of focus, focusing on those people who have overstayed their time and remain in the country or have drained all avenues of legal redress.
Trump’s plan also includes controversial measures, such as using military resources for deportation efforts and increasing border security operations that might have long-term implications for U.S. immigration policy.
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