U.S. President Trump aims immigration enforcement at 'sanctuary cities' as part of a more rigorous approach to handling migrants
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Baggin' the Border: Trump's Crackdown on Illegal Crossings
In a bid to make good on his campaign promises, ole' POTUS Trump is tipping his hat to some serious headway in nailing down those sneaky border-crossings from Mexico. Under his Democratic predecessor, Joe Biden, these sneaky crossings hit record highs.
The big boss has instructed his minions to publish a list within 30 days of the states and local authorities that clog up the enforcement of federal immigration laws. The catch? Those named could face the slicing of their access to certain government cheese.
ol' Trump's gonna be blaring his triumphs this week, pointing to victories in the economy, foreign affairs, and government efficiency, with migration also getting a shoutout. But since he took the Oval Office throne, his popularity has plunged, with a whopping 40+ percent of Americans hammering him with a big ol' "Nah, mate"[1].
Karin Leavitt, ol' Trump's spokesperson, dropped some numbers on Monday, revealing a 95% plummet in encounters of undocumented migrants at the Mexican border from March 2024 to the present[1]; that's a transition from 140k sprites to a more manageable 7k.
"America's borders are now secure because of President Trump," said Leavitt. "He has restored the rule of law, enforced our immigration laws, and defended America's sovereignty."
When it comes to ol' Trump's election talk about lockin' horns with the so-called hordes of rapists and murderers, it struck a nerve with those American folks who were all worked up about illegal immigration.
Monday's executive order targets the old "sanctuary cities," typically known for not allowing local officials to yak it up about undocumented immigrants if they're in danger of being deported. The mayors of Boston, Chicago, Denver, and New York have felt the heat during a heated Congress slapdown back in March.
California courts have upheld the legality of sanctuary laws, and a US judge ruled last week that Trump's team can't withhold federal funds from authorities offering limited protections to undocumented immigrants.
Don't be fooled—ol' Trump's got his eyes peeled on immigration, with placards lined up on the White House lawn displaying the mugshots of immigrants this week. The words "arrested" and the crime they're accused of were plastered above each snap, with "distribution of fentanyl," "first-degree murder," "sexual abuse of a child," and other despicable acts featuring prominently.
A White House press release came attached with a list of the "worst of the worst criminal illegal immigrants" that ol' Trump's team said were nabbed since he took the helm.
Meanwhile, Republicans in the House of Representatives have cracked the whip on a bill granting Trump the authority to levy a batch of onerous immigration charges—including a minimum $1,000 fee for asylum applications.
ol' Trump's foot soldiers have also been called out to the Mexican border, with Latin American gangs like Tren de Aragua and MS-13 labeled terrorists. However, he's been goin' toe-to-toe with judges, rights groups, and Democrats who think he's trampled constitutional rights in his rush to deport migrants, sometimes without giving 'em a fair shake.
Tom Homan, ol' Trump's top security guy, told reporters Monday that "we have the most secure border in the history of this nation." The press asked about deportation rates, which have lagged behind Biden's numbers despite ol' Trump's promise of Muppet-movie-worthy mass removals.
The government's been mum on comprehensive numbers, but it appears to be on track to oust half a million people this year, which is fewer than the 685k deportations recorded in 2024 under Biden. Homan claims that comparing removal numbers isn't fair, as Biden's numbers included those evicted at the border, while most of those folks are now being blocked before they even get in!
[1] Washington Post-ABC opinion poll.[2] The New York Times.[3] The Associated Press.[4] The Independent.
- In the year 2024, under the Democratic administration, immigration records reached unprecedented highs, but in contrast, Karin Leavitt, a spokesperson for President Trump, announced a 95% decrease in undocumented migrant encounters at the Mexican border since then.
- President Trump, in his electoral discourse, focused on the issue of immigration, particularly on the alleged threat of crime and justice posed by illegal immigrants, which disapproved of by a considerable portion of Americans.
- The policy-and-legislation push for immigration reform continues, with the Republicans in the House of Representatives proposing a bill that would grant President Trump the authority to charge hefty immigration fees and levy onerous charges, such as a $1,000 minimum fee for asylum applications.
- The tendency of some local authorities to act as sanctuary cities, typically refraining from communicating about undocumented immigrants to federal enforcement agencies, has been under scrutiny in the politics of immigration and is a part of the general-news discourse.
- War-and-conflicts implications are not absent in the immigration debate, as President Trump has designated Latin American gangs like Tren de Aragua and MS-13 as terrorists, a label that has raised questions about constitutional rights in the pursuit of immigration enforcement.
