Trump Executive Orders Target Illegal Immigration, Troops Sent to Border

In President Donald Trump’s inaugural address, he announced he would “sign a series of historic executive orders,” adding, “With these actions, we will begin the complete restoration of America and the revolution of common sense. It’s all about common sense.”

The newly inaugurated president listed the Southern Border as his top priority, saying, “First, I will declare a national emergency at our Southern Border.” Then he listed some actions he would take, including halting all illegal entry into the country, ending “the practice of catch and release,” and sending “troops to the southern border to repel the disastrous invasion of our country.”

The president made good on this promise, signing a flurry of executive orders related to illegal immigration and sending more troops to the border.

It’s difficult to get a solid count on how many people have entered the country illegally, but the House Committee on Homeland Security released a factsheet, “Startling Stats,” that details U.S. Customs and Border Protection border encounters with undocumented immigrants. The agency reported 3 million encounters from 2017-2020 and 10.8 million from 2021-2024.

Those numbers don’t include those who may cross the border without encountering an agent. The factsheet adds:

  • Roughly 2 million known gotaways have evaded Border Patrol agents since FY 2021.
  • Data from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) shows that, as of July 21, 2024, nearly 650,000 criminal illegal aliens were currently on ICE’s Non-Detained Docket (NDD) and roaming free in the interior.
  • Since FY2021, 9,055 pounds of fentanyl were seized between ports of entry by Border Patrol, compared to just 1,604 pounds from FY2017-FY2020.

As far as how many illegal aliens actually live in the U.S., the Center for Migration Studies recently stated, “The total undocumented population increased to about 11.7 million in July 2023, an increase of about 800,000 compared to the previous July.”

But the actual number may be much larger.

A study from three Yale-affiliated researchers, using a different data set, estimated  “there are 22.1 million undocumented immigrants in the United States.”

And that was back in 2018. Undoubtedly, given the influx of undocumented aliens over the last six years, the number is higher today.

So President Trump is acting to deal with this issue. First, he signed an executive order rescinding orders and actions from the Biden administration that opened our borders to illegal immigration, such as an order “to address the causes of immigration” and “manage migration throughout North and Central America.”

Then, he issued a slew of executive orders and actions, including:

Of course all illegal aliens aren’t violent, but some are, and safeguarding the border and following immigration laws already in place is a way to protect citizens and reduce harms.

Related articles and resources:

American Immigration System Loses Contact with Tens of Thousands of Migrant Children

The Border Crisis and the Deafening Silence of Women’s Groups

Burgeoning Border Crisis Spirals Out of Control, Officials Fear ‘Mass Migration Event’

Familial DNA Testing on the Southern Border Shouldn’t Have Ended

Fentanyl Overdoses Rise, Connection to Illegal Immigration

Illegal Immigrant Arrested in Murder of Maryland Mom

Illegal Immigrant to Appear in Court for Death of Texas Teen, Illustrates Violent Trend

It’s Compassionate to Oppose Illegal Immigration. Here’s Why.

Laken Riley Murdered After Killer Took Taxpayer-Funded Flight

Laken Riley Act Passes Senate

Talking to Your Kids About Illegal Immigration

U.S. Border Patrol Encounters 239,416 Illegal Immigrants in May, Highest in U.S. History

Violent Gang Takes Advantage of American Immigration Policy

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