Donald Trump has recently started his second presidential term and has quickly altered the United States’ immigration policy. He campaigned on the promise of the biggest mass deportations of undocumented immigrants in the country’s history, so these changes are unsurprising. His executive orders have the potential to reach Trump’s campaign goal, worrying both immigrants and non-immigrants alike. Therefore, it is important to understand what orders he has made and how they have impacted communities across the United States.
In his first week in office, Donald Trump made 21 executive actions to rebuild the immigration system. One major impact of these changes is the overhaul of the country’s system of deportation. The Defense Department provided military aircraft to deport people detained by Border Patrol. Trump has also amplified the scale of expedited deportations; while previously limited to immigrants not eligible for asylum within 100 miles of the border, the policy now applies to all undocumented immigrants across the country if they can not prove they have been in the country for 2 years. Donald Trump has also made massive expansions to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). He has removed a guideline preventing immigration raids in sensitive areas, permitting ICE to raid schools, hospitals, and churches. He has also expanded a program allowing ICE to delegate its duties to the police. These changes will likely make deportation more frequent and decrease the time the process takes.
Outside of deportations, there have been several other changes to immigration. Trump sent an additional 1,500 troops to assist with monitoring the border, increasing the amount of troops by 60% from the original 2,500. He also suspended the entry of undocumented migrants, even without an asylum hearing. Non-Mexican immigrants searching for asylum must now wait in Mexico until their cases are handled. This has also influenced the refugee resettlement program, which has been halted. Additionally, Trump has canceled thousands of migrants’ scheduled appointments for immigration by deleting the CBP One app, an app designed to streamline the entry process. Finally, although not directly caused by Donald Trump, migrant shelters have been built in Mexico and other countries nearby to handle the increase in deported immigrants.
In the following weeks, many deportations and raids have occurred. However, according to NBC News, Trump is not happy with the pace of the removals, which could lead to excessive deportations and inhumane measures. There have also been new quotas put in place, as each ICE field office is expected to make 75 arrests daily. With 25 offices, ICE is expected to make over 1,800 arrests per day, a major increase from Joe Biden’s presidency. The organization also has the power to arrest people without legal status if they are found while other migrants are being searched for. ICE can also remove migrants who were previously allowed under the Biden Administration.
These changes have had a major impact across the United States, but can also be seen locally. On January 23, 2025, ICE agents raided a Newark business. Three undocumented residents and multiple citizens were detained and questioned. There have been many different reactions ranging from shock and disgust to support and appreciation. Many people in Essex County have expressed fear over the presence of ICE agents. The American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey has posted a guide for handling encounters with ICE and education officials released new guidelines for schools in case of a raid. Social media has also been used to spread information about ICE, even spreading information on an alleged ICE sighting in West Orange.
Overall, these past few weeks have been a time of chaos and fear. The presence of ICE is a new constant that everybody will have to learn to adjust to. Social media and guides online can be invaluable tools to avoid or handle ICE.
