Even before Congress acts, Trump’s border policies already crater illegal immigration by 95%

The first major step President Trump took on re-entering the White House was declaring the border crisis a national emergency, allowing for reallocation of personnel and resources from the Armed Forces to support the activities of the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security. In this case, the goal is to obtain complete operational control of the U.S.-Mexico border. 

In another January 20 executive action without Congress, Trump suspended the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program indefinitely. Executive Order 12013 states that, “the United States has been inundated with record levels of migration, including through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP). Cities and small towns… have sought federal aid to manage the burden of new arrivals. This order suspends the USRAP until such time as the further entry into the United States of refugees aligns with the interests of the United States.” 

Criminal cartels

The goal of the order is to fortify the United States’ capabilities to counter threats to the safety and security of its citizens. Even without Congress, Trump designated cartels as foreign terrorist organizations and its members as specially designated global terrorists. Criminal cartels like the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, Mexico’s Sinaloa, Jalisco, Zetas and Gulf cartels, and the Salvadorian gang MS-13, who have committed atrocities across the United States, were main targets by the Trump administration. The same tools with which the United States fights international terrorism will be used against these gangs: travel bans, asset forfeiture and freezes, and heightened penalties for anyone providing material support or association with known terrorists. 

Trump racked up seven immigration and border-related actions on his first day in office, with more following the initial batch. Those include: expanding migrant operations at Guantánamo Bay to full capacity for high priority, criminal aliens; the imposition and subsequent lifting of 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico; consolidating and reinforcing that the President has sole power to conduct foreign policy and clarifying the hierarchy stated in Article II of the United States Constitution; and ending the practice of using taxpayer money for subsidies for illegal immigrants or associated programs. 

Messaging 

Trump’s rhetoric on immigration

Despite the narrative of both "woke" celebrities and outlets like MSNBC who four days ago blamed Trump's rhetoric for a child’s suicide, the issue of deporting violent criminals who are here illegally is still popular with the American people. In a fresh Harvard CAPS/Harris poll, the deportation efforts show broad 81% support. 

Seventy-six percent of those polled support closing the border with added security and policies that discourage illegal crossings. A separate poll conducted by Gallup found that 55% of respondents want less immigration. That is the highest it’s been in 24 years. 

During this past weekend’s annual Conservative Political Action Conference, border czar Tom Homan touted some of the latest immigration statistics: after 10.5 million encounters with illegal aliens at the southern border the last four years and 8 million of them getting released into the country, border crossings are down 95%. 

"a stunning lack of leadership"

In less than a month, Immigration and Customs Enforcement have arrested more than 21,000 people. Under Biden, the “gotaway” figure totaled 2.2 million overall, 1,800 a day in 2023. The day before his CPAC speech, Tom Homan cited that the day prior they only had 48 gotaways. 

According to the Department of State, under Biden there was an enormous increase in sex trafficking of women and children. While during Trump’s first term, there were only 14 individuals on the terror watchlist apprehended at the border, under President Joe Biden, that number was close to 400. Homan told the crowd that the last four years he was “pissed off” because the Biden administration took “the most secured border of my lifetime and unsecured it on purpose.”

Further attesting to that notion, retired FBI Executive Assistant Director Chris Piehota joined the “Furthermore with Amanda Head” podcast Monday and said, “well, the only thing I can say is that the previous administration displayed a stunning lack of leadership and a lack of gumption when it came to closing down the border. And the only reason they didn't close down the border is because they didn't want to.”

In Tuesday’s briefing at the White House, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt disclosed new immigration data: there were only 220 illegal border crossings on Saturday, a 15-year-low. 

In conjunction with the messaging from the Oval Office and the Press Office, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is doing her part as well. In commercials sponsored by DHS, she tells viewers that, “if you are in our country illegally, leave now. If you don’t, we will find you and we will deport you. If you leave now, you may have an opportunity to return and enjoy our freedom and live the American dream. America’s borders are closed to lawbreakers. The choice is yours. America welcomes those who respect our laws because a strong nation is a safe nation.” 

The Trump administration is making sure their message is heard loud and clear.