How Are Trump’s Immigration Orders are Going to Be Enforced
President Trump tackled his election promise to be tough on immigration by signing executive orders. His orders have been a source of misinterpretation and inaccuracies. For instance, there have been claims that his orders are targeted specifically at Muslim immigrants, who Trump used to stir up support during the elections. Here are some facts that can help you gain a better understanding of these orders.
1. The order put a cap on refugees entering America at 50,000 every year. Prior to that, there was no cap.
2. The order barred the entry of people from seven countries that are under the control of jihadists or the control of hostile states to the US. It is only effective for ninety days as the administration looks for better ways to deal with people coming in from those countries.
3. US green card holders from the seven countries in Trump’s orders can still enter the United States.
4. The orders instruct the secretary of homeland security to begin the construction of a physical wall along the southern border of the United States.
5. The orders instructed the homeland security secretary to begin finding ways for funding the construction of the wall.
6. Passengers of these seven countries that have diplomatic visas will not be affected by Trumps’ temporary ban.
7. Trump’s orders do not ban Muslims from entering the United States. However, his orders do target seven countries that have a Muslim majority population. Some have been arguing that it amounts to targeting Muslims.
8. Trump’s orders barred the entry of Syrian refugees into the country indefinitely. It is a security measure taken in cognizance of the current situation in Syria.
9. Trump’s order put a total ban on the entry of refugees into the country for 120 days.
10. Trump’s ban only applies to non-citizens of the US. US citizens can still travel to countries whose citizens have been denied entry into the United States.
11. Trump’s orders will end the catch and release system at the borders. Now immigrants who have been caught in the past are likely to be deported if caught again.
12. Trump’s orders make it easy for immigrants to be returned to Mexico even when their cases are still being processed in court. It is because they will be detained in immigration centers, where getting the right legal representation is quite difficult.
13. Trump’s orders make it easy for immigration agents to deport even people who have not been involved in committing any crimes. According to the new orders, a person does not need to have been charged in court to be deemed to have committed an offense.
14. Trump’s orders expanded the reach of the ICE. The ICE agents will now be notified each time an immigrant commits even a minor offense.
15. Trump’s orders the number of agents working in the Enforcement and Removal Operations office of the ICE to be tripled. That means the deportation rates are likely to shoot.
16. The refugee resettlement program initiated by the Obama administration has been temporarily suspended. That means all those who were being processed as part of the program have little hope of entering the United States.
17. Green card holders can be barred from re-entry into the United States. The order was issued as a recognition that some green card holders are signing up to jihadist groups hostile to the United States.
18. Trump’s orders also affect sanctuary cities. They will no longer receive federal grants if they maintain such policies. It is a strategy to force them to drop policies favorable to illegal immigrants, or they could face a financial crisis.
19. Trump’s orders could also affect states that do not enforce federal immigration laws. They could be cut off from federal funding for crucial programs.
20. Trump’s order will also seek to enlist local enforcement authorities into the enforcement of immigration laws.
21. Trump’s program will lead to the hiring of 10,000 new officers to enforce Federal immigration laws.
22. The order does not affect dual citizens where one of the citizenships was that of the United States.
23. Trump’s orders apply to dual citizens who do not hold citizenship of the United States. However, some countries like the UK will not be affected if their citizens hold dual citizenship.
24. Legal immigration had reached its highest point before Trump’s orders. The Obama administration admitted over 85,000 legal immigrants into the country. About half of those immigrants were of the Islamic faith.
25. Trump’s orders although far-reaching affected few people. In the first 24 hours of his orders being enforced, only a few hundred people were affected. The US already has a robust immigration system in place. It may be the reason why implementing the orders was so easy.
Trump’s orders although controversial are well within the constitution. It is also important to note that non-citizens of the United States do not enjoy the protection of the US constitution. Although it does send a message that the US is not an immigration-friendly country, there is nothing wrong with Trump’s orders from a legal point of view.