TCMTrumpSpring2018-FINAL

Transatlantic Council on Migration: U.S. Immigration Policy under Trump

Authors

  • Sarah Pierce

  • Jessica Bolter

  • Andrew Selee

  • Published: July 2018

Overview

  • The report outlines the deep changes and lasting impacts of U.S. immigration policy under President Donald Trump.

Acknowledgments

  • Authors express gratitude to colleagues at Migration Policy Institute (MPI) for their advice and edits, and acknowledge guidance from Doris Meissner and Michelle Mittelstadt.

  • Research commissioned for the Transatlantic Council on Migration's plenary meeting in Stockholm, November 2017.

  • Supported by foundations and governments, including the Open Society Foundations and several European nations.

Table of Contents

  1. Executive Summary

  2. Introduction

  3. What Has Changed

    • Enhancing Immigration Enforcement

    • Cutting Back on Humanitarian Programs

    • Increasing Vetting and Obstacles for Legal Immigration

    • Ending DACA

  4. The Impact of Expectations and Anxiety

  5. Congressional Inaction and Resistance

  6. Pushback from Local and State Governments

  7. The Role of the Courts

  8. Conclusion

  9. Works Cited

  10. About the Authors

Executive Summary

  • Trump’s administration focused heavily on tough immigration policies from day one, implementing executive orders for significant changes, including:

    • Cuts to legal immigration

    • Construction of a border wall

    • Extreme vetting of immigrants

    • Increased enforcement inside the U.S.

  • Legal challenges have hindered the administration's efforts, with many states resisting cooperation with federal authorities.

  • The shift in policy framed immigrants as a security threat, contrary to past bipartisan views.

I. Introduction

  • Immigration policy has seen a shift since Trump’s inauguration, emphasizing security concerns.

  • Divergent views on immigration compared to past agreements among political leaders.

  • Broad discretion of presidency allows significant changes even without legislation.

II. What Has Changed

A. Enhancing Immigration Enforcement

  • Under Trump, ICE enforcement increased significantly:

    • 37% rise in removals from the interior in 2017.

    • Arrests of noncriminals have risen, which contrasts previous strategies focusing on serious criminals.

  • New policies resulted in broader categories of noncitizens being targeted for removal.

B. Cutting Back on Humanitarian Programs

  • The administration reduced refugee admissions drastically:

    • Ceiling dropped to 45,000 in FY 2018, the lowest since inception in 1980.

    • Termination of the Central American Minors program, affecting vulnerable children seeking refuge.

    • Temporary Protected Status (TPS) ended for numerous countries, affecting hundreds of thousands.

C. Increasing Vetting and Obstacles for Legal Immigration

  • Enhanced vetting procedures implemented:

    • Interviews required for all applicants, increasing the workload and slowing processing.

    • New requirements for extensive personal history and social media accounts.

D. Ending DACA

  • Decision to phase out DACA, affecting approximately 700,000 individuals.

  • Ongoing court battles related to the program create uncertainty for current and potential DACA beneficiaries.

III. The Impact of Expectations and Anxiety

  • Changes have led to increased fear among immigrant communities, resulting in:

    • Decreased crime reporting.

    • Lower applications for public benefits.

    • A rise in asylum seekers entering Canada.

IV. Congressional Inaction and Resistance

  • Despite Republican control, Congress has not successfully passed significant immigration legislation.

  • Bipartisan disagreements hinder progress on immigration reform efforts and funding.

V. Pushback from Local and State Governments

  • Resistance from states, with some enacting sanctuary policies limiting local cooperation with ICE.

  • The Trump administration has faced legal challenges from states like California for their policies.

VI. The Role of the Courts

  • Courts have blocked many of Trump's immigration initiatives, signaling a more judicially active response.

  • The Supreme Court upheld the latest travel ban but faced opposition to earlier versions.

VII. Conclusion

  • The Trump administration is remaking U.S. immigration policy, emphasizing restriction and enforcement.

  • Incremental changes are reshaping immigration flows, despite opposition from various sectors of government.