Donald Trump was inaugurated as President of the United States on January 20, 2025, and Day One operations began immediately.
“The golden age of America begins right now,” the new president declared in his inaugural address, which sounded more like a campaign speech.
“First, I will declare a national emergency at our southern border. All illegal entry will immediately be halted. And we will begin the process of returning millions and millions of criminal aliens back to the places from which they came. We will reinstate my ‘Remain in Mexico’ policy. I will end the practice of catch and release. And I will send troops to the southern border to repel the disastrous invasion of our country,” President Trump vowed.
Trump released a slew of executive orders – a number of which were designed to improve border security and reverse bad policies.
For those who favor a stricter immigration system and strong border security, there is already much to be thankful for.
Here is some of it:
NATIONAL EMERGENCY
Trump declared a national emergency at the southern border, authorizing the use of military force and barrier construction.
DETENTIONS AND DEPORTATIONS
Almost immediately, apprehensions of illegal aliens began in various cities. Several thousand were detained during the first days of the administration.
And there were deportations.
Two planes delivered Guatemalan illegal aliens to their motherland while four planes brought Mexican illegals back home.
However, Colombia refused to take back two planeloads of Colombian illegals.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro claimed it was because they were being hauled home in military planes, which is somehow undignified.
Petro demanded they be returned in civilian aircraft, “with dignity and respect for them and for our country.”
“We will receive our fellow citizens on civilian planes, without treating them like criminals,” he declared.
Trump’s response? Slapping 25% tariffs on Colombia and other penalties.
Quoth Trump: “These measures are just the beginning. We will not allow the Colombian Government to violate its legal obligations with regard to the acceptance and return of the Criminals they forced into the United States!”
After that, Presidente Petro offered to send his presidential airplane to pick up deported illegals!
Okay, Petro, get that plane over here!
CBP ONE APP
This app allowed otherwise inadmissible aliens to make appointments to cross the border. It was shut down on inauguration day and all appointments were cancelled.
WHITE HOUSE WEBSITE EN ESPAÑOL
Gone. You have to read it in English!
STATE DEPARTMENT ACTIONS
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, whom I used to consider a squish on immigration, declared that the State Department would not promote illegal immigration.
He also paused refugee resettlement operations and ramped up visa vetting.
BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP
This is a big one. Trump signed an order entitled “Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship.”
It orders the government to not issue citizenship documents to persons whose mothers were either illegally in the U.S. or here on a temporary visa at the time of their child’s birth, and whose fathers were not citizens or lawful residents.
This is revolutionary and would be a great step forward if successful.
Three days later it was temporarily blocked by a federal judge in Seattle. That’s not surprising. The important thing is the decree was issued on Day One and now can work its way through the judicial system, hopefully to eventually be upheld by the Supreme Court.
BORDER CROSSINGS
They are way down.
“The number of Border Patrol encounters at the southern border in the first three days of the Trump administration is 35% lower than the final three days of the Biden administration, the sources said. The numbers do not include encounters at the northern border, or encounters at ports of entry by Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Office of Field Operations,” Fox News reports.
“On Jan. 17, there were 1,288 encounters nationwide, then 1,266 on Jan. 18 and 1,354 on Jan. 19. That is 3,908 encounters in total. President Donald Trump implemented took office on the 20th, when there were 1,073 encounters. It then declined further to 736 encounters on the 21st and again to 714 on the 22nd — making up 2,523 encounters.”
Yes, things are looking up, but Trump needs to keep applying pressure.
You can find more of Allan Wall’s work at his website and Mexico News Report.
