Over the last 48 hours, President Trump has done more to secure our Southern Border than the Biden Administration did in four entire years. Before even taking office, he got Mexican authorities to conduct a record fentanyl bust in a cartel-dominated region, seizing deadly drugs that could have killed hundreds if not thousands of Americans. Now, the White House is delivering the border policy changes voters demanded and is following through on campaign promises.
Just minutes into his second-term inauguration speech, President Trump announced a raft of executive actions to begin the “complete restoration of America and the revolution of common sense” and reverse the damage of the Biden-Harris border crisis. The measures include:
Declaring a National Emergency. This move unlocks new authorities the federal government can use to deploy resources to border states and regain operational control.
Ending Catch and Release. Migrants can no longer stay in the United States until their immigration court hearing dates – often years in the future.
Restoring Remain in Mexico. President Trump directed the Department of Homeland Security and the Attorney General to require asylum seekers to wait in Mexico for their cases to be processed.
Authorizing a Military Plan. President Trump ordered the military to draft a plan to deploy troops to the border under NORTHCOM. The order authorizes them to repel “forms of invasion, including unlawful mass migration, narcotics trafficking, human smuggling and trafficking, and other criminal activities.”
Building the Wall. President Trump established that it is now U.S. policy to “take all appropriate action to secure the borders” by “establishing a physical wall and other barriers monitored and supported by adequate personnel and technology.”
Terminating Mass Parole. The White House announced the end of Biden’s mass parole programs, including the CBP One app and the program known as the “Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans.”
Cracking Down on Drug Cartels. The White House announced new measures to address the threats posed by Tren de Aragua, MS-13 and other cartels. The order declared them a national security threat and moved toward designating them as Foreign Terrorist Organizations, a move that would give authorities the ability to impose sanctions and financial penalties to stop their operations.
- Tren de Aragua–a Venezuelan criminal organization with over 5,000 members–became infamous during the Biden Administration for exploiting the border crisis and conducting shootings, store thefts, street robberies, and more.
- The organization has posed a dearly criminal threat across the Americas, building revenue by preying on desperate migrants, trafficking illicit drugs, and focusing on human smuggling and other criminal activities.
Over the weekend, polling by the New York Times confirmed that the American people are highly supportive of these immigration policies. According to their findings:
- 87% of Americans support deporting immigrants in the country illegally and have criminal records.
- 63% of Americans support deporting immigrants in the country illegally who arrived in the recent wave over the past four years.
- 55% of Americans support deporting all immigrants in the country illegally.
For four years, the Biden-Harris Administration turned a blind eye to our border crisis and refused to even acknowledge the problem. Worse, it rewarded illegal immigration with free hotel rooms, transportation, and countless amenities. But President Trump’s actions send a clear message south of the border: America is closed to illegal crossings, and law-breakers are at risk of deportation.