Immigration policy of the second Donald Trump administration

On January 20, 2025, Donald Trump was inaugurated as president of the United States for a second term. Within an hour, CBP One, a program developed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection to allow migrants to secure immigration appointments, was discontinued; migrants who accessed CBP One found that their appointments were canceled.{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/2025/01/20/trump-border-cbp-one-migrants/ |title=Family waiting to cross border learns their CBP One appointment is canceled |date=January 20, 2025 |last=Hernández |first=Arelis |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=January 21, 2025}} That evening, he signed several executive orders relating to immigration, including blocking asylum seekers from entering the U.S., declaring a national emergency at the Mexico–U.S. border, and citing a public health risk posed by migrants through a lack of "comprehensive health information".{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/20/us/politics/trump-starts-immigration-crackdown-enlisting-the-military-and-testing-the-law.html |title=Trump Starts Immigration Crackdown, Enlisting the Military and Testing the Law |date=January 20, 2025 |last1=Kanno-Youngs |first1=Zolan |last2=Aleaziz |first2=Hamed |last3=Sullivan |first3=Eileen |work=The New York Times |access-date=January 21, 2025}}

Trump also signed Executive Order 14610, which attempted to end birthright citizenship for children of unauthorized immigrants as well as immigrants legally but temporarily present in the United States. The executive order has been challenged with at least nine lawsuits on constitutional grounds (related to the 14th Amendment), and {{As of|2025|February|lc=y}}, two federal judges have issued preliminary injunctions blocking its implementation and enforcement nationwide.{{Cite news |last=Lee |first=Ella |date=2025-02-06 |title=DOJ appeals block of birthright citizenship executive order |url=https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5131881-doj-appeals-block-birthright-citizenship/ |work=The Hill}}{{Cite news |last=Raymond |first=Nate |date=2025-02-06 |title=US judge accuses Trump of ignoring rule of law to curb birthright citizenship |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-judge-accuses-trump-ignoring-rule-law-curb-birthright-citizenship-2025-02-06/ |work=Reuters}}

In an executive order, Trump directed the United States Department of State to designate the gangs Tren de Aragua and MS-13 as terrorist organizations, permitting the federal government to block their assets and disrupt their financial support network through Executive Order 13224, a directive that amends the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to include foreign entities involved with terrorism; the government was already authorized to impose economic sanctions on gangs. The designations allow the Department of Justice to indict individuals involved with gangs, such as drug dealers, with providing material support for terrorism, a charge that carries life imprisonment if the crime results in death.{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/21/us/politics/trump-drug-cartels-terrorist-mexico.html |title=How Trump's Plan to Label Some Drug Cartels 'Terrorists' Would Work |date=January 21, 2025 |last=Sullivan |first=Eileen |work=The New York Times |access-date=January 22, 2025}}

{{Main|Laken Riley Act}}

File:President_Donald_Trump_signs_the_Laken_Riley_Act_into_law.jpg

On January 29, 2025, Trump signed the Laken Riley Act into law, the first legislation of Trump’s second term. The act enables the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to detain immigrants without legal status who are involved in certain kinds of crimes, it also enables states to sue DHS if it allegedly fails to enforce immigration laws.{{Cite web |date=2025-01-29 |title=Trump signs the Laken Riley Act into law |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/trump-signs-laken-riley-act-law-rcna188917 |access-date=2025-01-30 |website=www.nbcnews.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2025-01-24 |title=What is the Laken Riley Act? A look at the first bill Trump will sign |url=https://apnews.com/article/what-is-laken-riley-act-trump-immigration-2667d626139ddf5a16d1533516eab18f |access-date=2025-01-27 |website=AP News |language=en}}

{{Main|Deportation in the second presidency of Donald Trump}}

{{see also|Deportation of Indian nationals under Donald Trump}}

After his reelection, Trump appointed Tom Homan to become the oncoming "border czar" and direct Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids across the U.S.{{Cite news |last=Bustillo |first=Ximena |date=2025-01-20 |title=Trump signs sweeping actions on immigration and border security on Day 1 |url=https://www.npr.org/2025/01/20/g-s1-43650/trump-inauguration-day-one-immigration |access-date=2025-04-14 |work=NPR |language=en}}, including major cities which reside large immigrant communities. The raids targeted local communities, including private spaces such as schools, places of worship, etc.{{Cite web |date=2025-01-21 |title=Trump administration throws out policies limiting migrant arrests at sensitive spots like churches |url=https://apnews.com/article/immigration-enforcement-sensitive-locations-trump-ab0d2d2652e9df696f14410ebb52a1fc |access-date=2025-04-15 |website=AP News |language=en}} The raids targeted asylum seekers who were residing legally but temporarily.

Trump designated deportees to be deported on flight via military aircraft, with some deportees being reported to have been in held on shackles whilst on flight.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2025-02-07 |title=‘Treated like criminals’: Shackling of Indians aboard 40-hour migrant flight sparks new outrage against Trump |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/07/india/india-trump-shackles-deportations-intl-hnk/index.html |access-date=2025-04-15 |website=CNN |language=en}} Many of the immigrants were deported without due process.{{Cite news |last=Villarreal |first=Alexandra |date=2025-04-13 |title=Trump’s attacks on immigrants threaten the fundamental right to due process |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/13/trump-immigration-due-process-legal-rights |access-date=2025-04-15 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}

The influx of mass deportations resulted in families and communities being disrupted. Policies such as "Remain in Mexico" forced asylum seekers to wait in perilous conditions, potentially exposing them to violence. Additionally, changes to public charge rules deterred low-income immigrants from accessing public benefits, even when eligible, due to fears of jeopardizing their immigration status. These measures contributed to a climate of fear and uncertainty among immigrant communities.

On March 22, Trump asked Pam Bondi for retaliation against attorneys opposing the deportations, for what he called "frivolous, unreasonable and vexatious litigation".

{{Bar chart

| title = Arrests{{efn|{{cite web |title=Enforcement Update |url=https://x.com/ICEgov/status/1882591102684758226/photo/1 |website=x.com |publisher=Immigration and Customs Enforcement |access-date=27 January 2025}}{{cite web |title=Enforcement Update |url=https://x.com/ICEgov/status/1882955710612291627/photo/1 |website=x.com |publisher=Immigration and Customs Enforcement |access-date=27 January 2025}}{{cite web |title=Enforcement Update |url=https://x.com/ICEgov/status/1883317983914656217/photo/1 |website=x.com |publisher=Immigration and Customs Enforcement |access-date=27 January 2025}}{{cite web |title=Enforcement Update |url=https://x.com/ICEgov/status/1883680858453705153/photo/1 |website=x.com |publisher=Immigration and Customs Enforcement |access-date=27 January 2025}}{{cite web |title=Enforcement Update |url=https://x.com/ICEgov/status/1884028870929568021/photo/1 |website=x.com |publisher=Immigration and Customs Enforcement |access-date=28 January 2025}}{{cite web |title=Enforcement Update| url=https://x.com/ICEgov/status/1884273605891981732/photo/1 |website=x.com |publisher=Immigration and Customs Enforcement |access-date=28 January 2025}}{{cite web |title=Enforcement Update| url=https://x.com/ICEgov/status/1884645621430141110/photo/1 |website=x.com |publisher=Immigration and Customs Enforcement |access-date=29 January 2025}}{{cite web |title=Enforcement Update| url=https://x.com/ICEgov/status/1885462889131089949/photo/1 |website=x.com |publisher=Immigration and Customs Enforcement |access-date=31 January 2025}}{{cite web |title=Enforcement Update| url=https://x.com/ICEgov/status/1885449958528057822/photo/1 |website=x.com |publisher=Immigration and Customs Enforcement |access-date=31 January 2025}}{{cite web |title=Enforcement Update| url=https://x.com/ICEgov/status/1885751154635653308/photo/1 |website=x.com |publisher=Immigration and Customs Enforcement |access-date=1 February 2025}}}}{{efn|Arrests for the day total are arrests for the day prior, as ICE shifted on January 29th to announcing the total of the previous day to the total for the day of, as reflected in the change in caption on the bottom of each X post.}}

| label_type = Day

| data_type = Arrests (% change from prior Day)

| data_max = 20,000

| label3 = January 23 | data3 = 538 | comment3 =

| label4 = January 24 | data4 = 593 | comment4 = +9.27% {{increase}}

| label5 = January 25 | data5 = 286 | comment5 = -51.8% {{decrease}}

| label6 = January 26 | data6 = 956 | comment6 = +334% {{increase}}

|data7=1,179|label7=January 27|comment7=+23.3% {{increase}}

|data8=969|label8=January 28|comment8=-17.8% {{decrease}}

|data9=1,016|label9=January 29|comment9=+15.6% {{increase}}

|data10=962|label10=January 30|comment10=-5.3% {{decrease}}

|data11=913|label11=January 31|comment11=-5.1% {{decrease}}

|data12=864|label12=February 1|comment12=-5.4% {{decrease}}

|data13=736|label13= February 2|comment13=-14.8% {{decrease}}

|data14=715|label14=February 3|comment14=-2.9% {{decrease}}|data15=815|label15=February 4|comment15=+14% {{increase}}|data16=10,542|label16=Total as of February 1}}

{{Bar chart

| title = Deportations

| label_type = Month

| data_type = Deportations (% change from prior Month)

| data_max = 46,000

| label3 = February 22, 2025 | data3 = 37,660{{Cite news |last=Hesson |first=Ted |date=February 22, 2025 |title=Trump deporting people at a slower rate than Biden's last year in office |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-set-broaden-arrests-deportation-routes-expand-immigration-crackdown-2025-02-21/ |work=Reuters}} | comment3 =

| label4 = March 22 | data4 = TBD | comment4 = +

| label5 = April 22 | data5 = TBD | comment5 = +

| label6 = May 22 | data6 = TBD | comment6 = +

}}

{{Further|Guantanamo Migrant Operations Center}}

On January 29, 2025, Trump ordered the preparation of the Guantanamo Bay detention camp to house tens of thousands of migrants.{{Cite news |last1=Aleaziz |first1=Hamed |last2=Rosenberg |first2=Carol |date=January 29, 2025 |title=Trump Says U.S. Will Hold Migrants at Guantánamo |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/29/us/politics/trump-migrants-guantanamo.html |url-access=subscription |work=The New York Times}}

Within a month, hundreds of migrants had been transferred to Guantanamo. Most of them were swiftly transferred elsewhere, including 177 Venezuelans who arrived in Venezuela on February 20 after having been held at Guantanamo.{{Cite web |last=Cobela |first=Manuel |date=2025-02-21 |title=More than 170 Venezuelan migrants deported to Guantanamo arrive home |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/21/americas/venezuelan-migrants-deported-guantanamo-bay-intl-hnk/index.html |access-date=2025-02-21 |website=CNN |language=en}}

{{See also|March 2025 American deportations of Venezuelans|Deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia}}

The Trump administration affirmed a deal with Nayib Bukele's government to permit deportees to be held in El Salvador's Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT), notorious for harsh conditions, at a cost of $6 million per year.{{cite news |last1=Aleman |first1=Marcos |last2=Garcia Cano |first2=Regina |title=What to know about El Salvador’s mega-prison after Trump sent hundreds of immigrants there |url=https://apnews.com/article/el-salvador-trump-prison-immigrants-4ab3fc3c0474efb308084604b61f8a37 |access-date=March 17, 2025 |work=Associated Press |date=March 17, 2025}}{{cite news |last1=Rios |first1=Michael |title=What we know about El Salvador’s ‘mega prison’ where Trump is sending alleged Venezuelan gang members |url=https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/17/americas/el-salvador-prison-trump-deportations-gangs-intl-latam/index.html |access-date=22 March 2025 |work=CNN |date=17 March 2025 |language=en}} In March 2025, the Trump administration invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 and deported around 250 people, alleged by the Trump administration to be members of Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, to El Salvador, where they were imprisoned in CECOT.{{cite news |last1=Caputo |first1=Mark |title=Exclusive: How the White House ignored a judge's order to turn back deportation flights |url=https://www.axios.com/2025/03/16/trump-white-house-defy-judge-deport-venezuelans |access-date=March 17, 2025 |work=Axios |date=March 16, 2025}} At the time of the deportations, the Trump administration did not identify the accused and did not reveal evidence of the accused being Venezuelan gang members or having committed crimes in the United States.

The American Civil Liberties Union and Democracy Forward sued the Trump administration, challenging the legality of using the Alien Enemies Act when the country is not in desperate conditions, including at time of war.{{Cite web |last=Sullivan |first=Tim |last2=Spagat |first2=Elliot |date=2025-03-16 |title=The Alien Enemies Act: What to know about a 1798 law that Trump has invoked for deportations |url=https://apnews.com/article/alien-enemies-trump-immigration-deportations-21a62ede23b8c493b60d00a9c125722f |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=AP News |language=en}} The administration used two planes to deport the accused, despite Chief Judge James Boasberg of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia issuing a temporary restraining order against deporting foreigners using the act. Boasberg also verbally ordered planes containing such foreigners to return to the United States.{{cite news |last1=Faulders |first1=Katherine |title=Trump administration ignores judge's order to turn deportation planes around: Sources |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/trump-admin-ignores-judges-order-bring-deportation-planes/story?id=119857181 |access-date=March 17, 2025 |work=ABC News |date=March 17, 2025}} Trump's "border czar" Tom Homan said that the Trump administration completed the deportations despite the court order, because Boasberg's order was made when the planes were above international waters after departing the United States; Homan also declared regarding deportations: "Another flight every day. [...] We are not stopping. I don't care what the judges think."{{cite news |last1=Saric |first1=Ivana |title=Trump's border czar: "I don't care what the judges think" |url=https://www.axios.com/2025/03/17/tom-homan-deportation-flights-trump-court-order |access-date=March 18, 2025 |work=Axios |date=March 17, 2025}} White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that Boasberg's order "had no lawful basis [...] A single judge in a single city cannot direct the movements of an aircraft carrier". Leavitt also expressed doubts about "whether a verbal order carries the same weight as a written order", while the Trump administration argued in court that "an oral directive is not enforceable as an injunction".{{cite news |last1=Samuels |first1=Brett |title=White House questions authority of judge’s verbal order on Venezuelan deportation flights |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5198986-trump-white-house-deportation-flights-immigration-southern-border/ |access-date=March 18, 2025 |work=The Hill |date=March 17, 2025}}{{cite news |last1=Wendling |first1=Mike |title=Judge questions White House's refusal to turn around deportation flights |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crrdp9jdpyko |access-date=March 18, 2025 |work=BBC News |date=March 17, 2025}}

The administration has admitted that "many" of those who had been deported did not have criminal records in the US.{{Cite web |date=2025-03-21 |title=DOJ returning to court to defend deportation of Venezuelan migrants without due process |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/doj-returning-court-defend-deportation-venezuelan-migrants-due/story?id=120024244 |access-date=2025-03-21 |website=ABC News |language=en}} Bloomberg estimated that about 90% of the deported migrants had no criminal record.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2025-04-10 |title=About 90% of migrants sent to El Salvador lacked U.S. criminal record |url=https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2025-04-10/about-90-of-migrants-sent-to-el-salvador-lacked-u-s-criminal-record |access-date=2025-04-15 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}

The administration acknowledged that one of the deportees, Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, had been deported due to an "administrative error".{{cite news |last1=Romero |first1=Laura |date=1 April 2025 |title=ICE admits to an 'administrative error' after Maryland man sent to El Salvador prison |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/ice-admits-administrative-error-after-maryland-man-el/story?id=120359991 |access-date=1 April 2025 |work=ABC News |publisher=}} The Supreme Court ruled that his deportation was illegal and ordered to "facilitate" his return.{{Cite web |date=2025-04-15 |title=El Salvador's president says he won't return mistakenly deported man to U.S. |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/president-el-salvador-wont-return-deported-man-kilmar-abrego-garcia-rcna201136 |access-date=2025-04-15 |website=NBC News |language=en}} On April 14, 2025, the administration changed its position, stating that the deportation of Abrego Garcia was not a mistake. Both Trump and El Salvador's President Bukele said they could not unilaterally bring him back. Trump accused opponents of wanting to release criminals. Trump also evoked a desire to widen the deportation toward El Salvador for "criminal" US citizens, asking Bukele to build five more prisons for Americans.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=April 15, 2025 |title='Homegrowns are next': Trump doubles down on sending American 'criminals' to foreign prisons |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/homegrowns-trump-doubles-sending-convicted-us-citizens-foreign/story?id=120802863 |access-date=2025-04-15 |website=ABC News |language=en}}

{{Further information|Temporary Migrant Care Center}}

In February 2025, the Costa Rican government agreed to receive 200 migrants renditioned from the United States and to detain them at the Temporary Migrant Care Center, known by its Spanish acronym CATEM, pending their repatriation. Costa Rican authorities have made attempts to reestablish custody over migrants who have escaped from CATEM, though others were permitted to leave the facility after formally seeking asylum in Costa Rica.Arroyo, Allan (5 April 2025). "[https://observador.cr/12-personas-chinas-deportados-por-ee-uu-ya-salieron-del-catem-para-instalarse-en-costa-rica-al-pedir-refugio/ 12 personas chinas deportadas por EE.UU. ya salieron del Catem para instalarse en Costa Rica al pedir refugio"]. El Observador Costa Rica. Retrieved 2025-04-20.

A "Trump Gold Card" is a planned residency permit that provides investors with a path to residency and citizenship if they commit at least $5 million to projects in the US. A key difference from the EB5 program, the United States' current path for investors to gain residency that the Gold Card intends to replace, is that gold card holders are not liable for US federal income tax on income earned outside the US. Aside from constitutional questions on executive authority for this kind of change to immigration and tax law without express Congressional approval, it is unclear what would happen to the US federal taxability of a gold card holder's non-US income, should the gold card holder become a US citizen at some point in time.

{{Main article|Activist deportations in the second Trump presidency}}

In response of these policies by the Trump administration, many activists and protestors began protesting on streets in major cities across the U.S. against mass-deportations and immigration policy, including Los Angeles and New York City, which resides large immigrant communities.{{Cite web |date=2025-04-06 |title=Demonstrators rally in 'Hands Off' protests against Trump policies and Musk-led government cuts |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/global-hands-off-protests-donald-trump-elon-musk-rcna199847 |access-date=2025-04-11 |website=NBC News |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2025-02-09 |title=Dozens rally in downtown LA, Fullerton for protest against Trump's immigration policies |url=https://abc7.com/post/dozens-rally-downtown-la-protest-trumps-immigration-policies/15885588/ |access-date=2025-04-11 |website=ABC7 Los Angeles |language=en}} In spite of this, the Trump administration increasingly targeted legal immigrants, tourists, and students with green cards who expressed criticism of his policies or engaged in pro-Palestinian advocacy.{{Cite news |last1=Kanno-Youngs |first1=Zolan |last2=Pager |first2=Tyler |last3=Aleaziz |first3=Hamed |date=March 21, 2025 |title=As Trump Broadens Crackdown, Focus Expands to Legal Immigrants and Tourists |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/21/us/politics/trump-immigration-visa-crackdown.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=March 29, 2025 |work=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331}} The government has deported or attempted to deport a number of pro-Palestinian activists whom it accuses of supporting terrorists. These include Mahmoud Khalil, Rasha Alawieh, Badar Khan Suri,{{cite news |title=Trump administration cannot deport pro-Palestinian Georgetown University student: judge |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/03/20/georgetown-university-badar-khan-suri-detained/82565164007/ |work=USA Today}} and Momodou Taal.{{cite news |title=Cornell student protester told to surrender to ICE as he asks judge to block deportation |url=https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/21/us/momodou-taal-cornell-student-deportation/index.html |access-date=22 March 2025 |publisher=CNN}}

• Immigration policy of the first Donald Trump administration
• Xenophobia
• Habeus Corpus

{{notelist}}

{{Reflist}}{{Second presidency of Donald Trump}}

Category:Anti-immigration politics in the United States

Category:Second Trump administration controversies

Category:Deportation from the United States