Reversing illegal immigration and controlling the border were among the biggest issues in the 2024 election. Only the economy, inflation, and affordability rivaled them.
The American people strongly agree with President Trump’s focus.
Furthermore, 70 percent support declaring a state of emergency to allow the deployment of FEMA and National Guard personnel to border communities (19 percent oppose).
A full 68 percent support designating drug cartels as terrorist groups (22 percent oppose).
President Trump has done all these things in his first four days in office.
The Biden-Harris administration allowed a ridiculously wide interpretation of asylum-seeking laws in order to make the borders more open. Yet, 75 percent of Americans support requiring asylum seekers to enter the U.S. through legal methods (17 percent disagree).
Finally, the concern about illegal immigration is so great that 83 percent support requiring local law enforcement to check the status of suspects arrested for crimes with immigration authorities—and detain them for deportation if they are here illegally (11 percent oppose).
This strong support indicates why so many Democrats joined with Republicans to pass the Laken Riley Act. It must infuriate the media and Trump’s opponents that the first law passed under his new administration was bipartisan.
“The final vote, 263 to 156, capped the opening salvo in a broader Trump-era crackdown on immigration and undocumented migrants that the president has promised, Republicans have championed, and a small but increasing group of Democrats has begun to embrace. Forty-six House Democrats joined all Republicans in backing it, a sign of the growing cross-party consensus around taking a harder line against those who enter the country illegally.”
The measure directed military and National Guard forces to deploy to the Southern Border to assist in its security—and for Department of Homeland Security officials to finish the wall, which was greatly expanded under President Trump’s first term.
This effort should have a dramatic effect on those trying to get into the country illegally—or those attempting to smuggle people, drugs, and weapons over the border. Importantly, this will return the asylum process to its historic, orderly state.
In the first four days of his new administration President Trump has issued an amazing number of other new executive orders.
In addition to hardening the border and deporting hundreds of criminal illegal aliens, he has made a strong push to end birthright citizenship for children born to women in the country illegally or temporarily—unless their fathers have legal permanent residence.
This will ultimately become a serious, history-making decision for the U.S. Supreme Court. The Justices will have to determine the ultimate meaning, intent, and bounds of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which states, “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”
- Directing federal agencies to identify nations that fail to provide sufficient information about their citizens who come to America—and bar such nationals from entry going forward;
- Halting refugee admissions and so-called parole programs pending evaluations and changes to U.S. policy;
- Withholding federal funds from cities and jurisdictions that don’t comply with U.S. immigration laws;
- Barring illegal immigrants from receiving public benefits,
- Reinstating his “Remain in Mexico” policy;
- Empowering more federal law enforcement agents to enforce immigration laws;
- And a host of other measures.
His vigor and energy are truly historic—and there is more to come.
