‘Costly, cruel and chaotic‘ were the words of Vanessa Cardenas, the Executive Director of America’s Voice, liberal immigration rights group, to describe Trump’s draconian immigration policies that are likely to affect 13 million people.
Fear looms large among people of the United States and nearby border regions as US President Donald Trump gives a clear hint of his hardline immigration policies with delpoyment of a whopping 1,500 militarymen to the southern border of Mexico.
Fear looms large among people of the United States and nearby border regions as US President Donald Trump gives a clear hint of his hardline immigration policies with delpoyment of a whopping 1,500 militarymen to the southern border of Mexico. The following stationing of troops is part of the US President’s executive action to proclaim a “national emergency” at the country’s southern bordering territories. Trump missions to amplify his US refugee programme, and as a part of the programme, he has already reportedly revoked asylum claims at the Mexico border and suspended refugees who already were approved to enter the United States.
The rigorous changes in the US immigration system since Trump’s second term has ignited fear and anxiety among millions of people residing in the nearby regions. Though there have been no apprehensions yet, however, the draconian changes are likely to take away homes and livelihood of millions. According to Nayna Gupta, American Immigration Council’s policy director, the crackdown on immigrants is likely to hurt 13 million undocumented people who have been living in the US with protected laws. It will also gradually affect the lives of people with non-immigrant visas and those who are residing in asylums.
Here are the few policy changes by Trump’s administration
Trump’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has reportedly ordered to pull out people who have been legally residing in the United States under ex-President Joe Biden’s humanitarian lawful entry parole programme – divided into two parts – that was envisioned to decline unlawful crossings. According to a report by Reuters, nearly 1.5 million immigrants came to the US. starting from 2022 to 2024 via Biden’s programme.
The first part of the programme permitted immigrants in Mexico to seek an asylum request at a legal border crossing. The second part of the programme gave yes to people from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela to enter the United States by air. However, the new policy will likely entreat an “unknown”
immigration measure to push forward state and municipal law enforcement to imprison and detain immigrants illegally in the country. The overhaul is reportedly going to affect individuals from four all the mentioned neighbouring countries.
Trump reportedly said that he supports lawful immigration, however, on the contrast he has rescinded the CBP One application that earlier allowed migrants to schedule an appointment at legal entry ports to apply for asylum.
Trump reportedly said that he supports lawful immigration, however, on the contrast he has rescinded the CBP One application that earlier allowed migrants to schedule an appointment at legal entry ports to apply for asylum. The update came on Monday when the United States Customs and Border Protection firm announced the close of the application. CBP was constructed under Trump’s first era but was later used to scrutinise bad quality cargoes entering the country.
According to a report by Al Jazeera, the ceasing of the application has till now revoked 30,000 appointments straight made by immigrants.
While the figures are likely to amplify in the upcoming days, other reports claimed that immigrants have been stranded in Mexico citing cancelation of appointments to enter the US and has left many individuals lurching on the road with their hefty suitcases. This is the current scenario at the northern Mexico border region. Further reports put forth by Al Jazeera said tens of thousands immigrants have been told that their appointments for February month have been revoked.
The US President last week signed a slew of executive orders and among them is an order to scrape birthright citizenship: the following citizenship – which has existed as a policy for over a century – means a particular person has protected constitutional rights to have citizenship in the US if he/she/them are born or “naturalised” in the country. Birthright citizenship is mentioned in the 14th amendment of the United States Constitution. Trumps’s draconian alteration in the amendment “proclaims” that it excludes persons whose parents are non-Americans citizens.
According to the new policy, if one parent entered the country “unlawfully” and the other was a “lawful permanent resident” when the baby was being born, the child will not be able to claim birthright citizenship. Additionally, if a parent was “lawfully but temporarily” present in the country using tourist, study or work visa and the other parent was not a citizen of US, the following couple cannot claim birthright citizenship to the child. The following hardline anti-immigration alterations will come into effect from February 19.
Trump last week ended the US Refugee Admissions Programme (USRAP) – an association of several federal groups and nonprofits that work collectively to identify and take refugees – that used to offer resettlement to refugees in the United States. The order came into effect on January 27, suspending all the applications and fresh arrivals to the country.
The halt came as Trump’s “justification” saying America can not let a big number of refugees enter the country on compromising the country’s weath, resources and security.
The halt came as Trump’s “justification” saying America can not let a big number of refugees enter the country on compromising the country’s weath, resources and security. The suspension has affected the lives of several Afghan refugees as many of them had sought approval to enter the States before Trump’s second term. According to the statistics, nearly 15,000 Afghans are twiddling their thumbs in Pakistan to seek resettlement in the US. While others have voyaged to South America combating dangerous journey towards the US-Mexico border to request for asylum.
According to new policy crackdown by the Trump administration, the deportation department of the United States can now deport citizens living in the country who are unable to prove their presence in the States for over two years. The changes come as a shell shock for 13 million undocumented immigrants who are already residing in America.
According to a report, the US President is currently laying the groundwork to swell deportation cases of immigrants using “expedited removals” and more stringent connection with local law. Earlier, enforcement makers used “expedited removal” only on individuals who were in America for less than two weeks and who were temporarily taken into custody near the US border at a distance of about 100 miles. Trump has also authorised power to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement squad of America to enforce deportations at educational institutions such as schools, multiple religious places and medical centres.
His administration has received flak from American Immigration Expert Nanya Gupta saying his actions ‘invoke unprecedented powers‘. Some of the policy alterations reportedly are being challenged in the court, however, there seems less tangiblity how well the challenges will win in the court looking at his totalitarian-behavioral patterns.
Current repressive measures against existing immigration
White House media secretary Karoline Leavitt last week said, ‘The largest massive deportation operation in history is well underway.’ The statement itself should be considered as a dangerous sign as Trump and his confidants prepare for the next diehard policies. The process has already begun. On Monday, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) of the United States told the proess that it took custody of almost 2,000 immigrants and detained 853 of them.
So far, this is reportedly the largest number of detainers and apprehensions since the US President kickstarted his tenure in office which is only a week ago. As per latest reports, so far the US agents of immigrants have taken intocustories as many as 3,552 people.
Are we ready for another global outburst?
While many innocent people have been stranded at the US-Mexico border regions and others are furious to accept cancellation of appointments for their already settled residence approval to the United States. Sadly, the world is likely to witness yet another turmoil of pain, angst and loss of belonging. On the other side, Gazans are now returning towards the north side with exhaustion. Are we ready for another global outburst?
