The State of Trump’s Mexican Immigration Policy

Since Donald Trump’s election, there has been much controversy over which of his proposed policies regarding immigration from Mexico would actually be put into action. With a habit of issuing unconstitutional executive orders, many thought that his harsh views on illegal immigration would face backlash from congress, despite his urging otherwise. Following a memo issued by the Department of Homeland Security in response to Trump’s executive orders, it now seems some of these policies are one step closer to enforcement. According to the memo, the changes to come are as follows:

-An increase in the number of Border Patrol Agents and Customs Enforcement Officers

-A mandate that all caught illegal immigrants remain detained until their court hearing. (As opposed to parole)

-An expanse of the “expedited removal” policy, allowing all immigrants unable to prove that they have been present in the country for two years to be immediately deported

-Construction of the border wall

-Less acceptance of asylum-seekers

-A change in the policy protecting unaccompanied minors entering the country

These changes are expected to come very gradually, so there is still a possibility that Congress and local governments can block some of what Omar Jadwat, director of the ACLU’s Immigrants’ Rights Project, calls “Trump’s un-American dreams.”