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As the news about the newly sworn President Trump’s orders on immigration makes its way to the newspapers, TV, and social media platforms, there is a feeling of fear among immigrants and people with undocumented status. Alina Kats helps you understand how the immigration changes under the new administration might affect you. Alina and her team of immigration experts are committed to helping you and your family achieve their immigration goals in the United States. They offer exceptional legal services to ensure your stay in the US is not threatened by all these changes and you get a chance to fulfil your American dream in the long run.
President Trump returned to office last month with a keen focus on changing immigration policies. Since then, he has issued numerous orders and directives to increase enforcement. These directions are expected to slow the immigration flow and make enforcement harsher, with significant consequences for the economy and beyond.
Read on to learn what immigration changes are expected under the new administration, what is happening now, and what these changes may mean for you.
It has been some time since Donald Trump took oath as the president of the United States and according to the news, the new administration is planning something big. It would not be wrong to say that since Trump is back in the White House, he has signed orders aimed at cracking down illegal immigrants and reshaping the federal government. He has also issued several controversial pardons.
While some orders have sparked cheers from his supporters, his opponents are full of condemnation, and immigrant communities are fearful amid nationwide raids as well as plenty of false alarms. It is important to note that Trump’s use of executive orders, both swift and broad, carries the weight of law but can be overturned too. Some face legal challenges too.
Executive orders are the decisions the president can make to change how the government works or how the laws are enforced. It is important to note that executive orders do not need approval from Congress. However, it may take some time for the executive actions to go into effect.
Government agencies need time to update their processes, create instructions, and get the resources they need to implement changes. They may also face legal challenges. This means courts could delay or block the changes if they conflict with the Constitution or the existing laws.
President Trump has been talking about strict immigration policies and stricter enforcement. Changes to how immigration applications are processed, including longer waiting times, stricter eligibility criteria, and higher fees for immigration benefits may be expected.
With executive orders, immigration enforcement has expanded. More people will be put into immigration court proceedings, held in immigration detention, and deported from the US. Immigration raids can take place in workplaces, schools, hospitals, and religious centers.
They will target undocumented immigrants no matter how long they have lived in the country, even if they don’t have a criminal record. Even people with lawful status may be impacted by this if they cannot prove their status. Undocumented immigrants who have been in the US for less than two years can be deported without a court hearing unless an immigration officer determines their eligibility for asylum.
As the federal government plans to block local sanctuary city policies, you may not be able to get the same protection even if you are living in a sanctuary city.
Police and sheriffs will help in immigration enforcement efforts, and any interaction with law enforcement can result in immigration actions against you. The government will no longer release immigrants from detection as they wait for court hearings which means you will stay in detection till the final decision on your case.
There will be more detection centers, particularly near the US-Mexico border, and the government plans to put more people in immigration detention. With harsh conditions, it will become hard to access legal help and get out. If you lose your immigration status and become undocumented due to recent policy changes, your risk of deportation increases. The task force that reunited families separated by previous policies has been suspended. Reuniting with your family may be even more difficult after a raid or detention.
After the executive orders, crossing the US-Mexico border and seeking asylum at the border becomes difficult. Even though you have the right to seek asylum, the government has implemented stricter policies at the border.
The CBP app used to schedule an appointment to present at a port of entry for asylum is no longer available. All appointments have been canceled. With increased military and border reinforcement, you can expect increased detention, use of force, military presence, expanded wall construction, and surveillance tools like drones at the border.
Remain in Mexico (MPP) is in place and some people seeking asylum at the southern border should stay in Mexico as they wait for their pending US immigration court case.
Executive orders have ended or severely restricted many humanitarian parole programs. Parole allows people to enter the US for urgent reasons like escaping danger or getting medical care.
USCIS will no longer accept applications that require form I-134A, and the processes for Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela have been closed. Also, the program for Ukrainians has been paused. If you are currently on parole, watch for updates. The parole at the border will be extremely limited, and it will be really hard to qualify. You may even face detention or deportation if you were previously eligible for parole.
The US refugee program has been suspended indefinitely. It means no new refugee applications will be processed. The government will decide every 90 days to restart the program but there is no guarantee if and when it will reopen.
This means no refugees will travel to the US, and no new case decisions will be made. Private sponsorship is also closed, and US citizens or permanent residents can apply to sponsor refugees through the private sponsorship program. However, there may be some cases that are approved on a case-by-case basis if you meet a limited exception.
As a result of this order, you could lose your work authorization and protection from deportation once the expiration date passes. It is because the government will review the current TPS designation and they may not renew protections for your country when your current status expires.
The US government will end Venezuelan TPS for those with the 2023 designation on February 20, 2025. If you have a TPS for another country, renew your TPS as soon as possible and also explore other legal options you qualify for. You can apply for both TPS renewal and other immigration protection at the same time.
As a result of the executive order, government agencies will review and stop providing benefits to people without legal status. You may lose public benefits if you are not authorized to receive them. Even if you are authorized to receive them, it may become difficult to get them. Federal funding for local services like healthcare, education, or housing assistance may be reduced, which could affect the support you rely on.
Birthright citizenship is the right to citizenship for all children born in the US regardless of their parent’s immigration status. The president has proposed changing the Constitutional rule for birthright citizenship in the United States.
It would deny citizenship to children born on or after February 19, 2025, if either of these apply:
The executive order will review countries worldwide and identify ones with insufficient security and vetting systems. This could lead to restrictions on people from these countries entering the US.
The Trump administration has also shared additional plans. Although these plans are not certain or guaranteed, they could affect many people if implemented. They include deferred action for childhood arrivals and public charge which could make things more difficult.
If you are at risk of being affected by the changes to the immigration policies and executive order, you need to act now to avoid deportation or detention.
Here is what you can do:
While executive orders can be an effective way to carry out policies, they can cause chaos, damage the democratic process, and harm the most vulnerable communities.
In uncertain times, false information spreads quickly. This can make people feel scared and confused as they do not know what to believe and what to do. It is essential to get facts from trusted sources—such as a reputable immigration law firm in Brooklyn instead of relying on rumors or unverified social media posts. Professional legal guidance ensures you receive accurate, up-to-date information tailored to your specific immigration situation.