Busy week in immigration

It has been an extremely busy week for the new administration as President Trump announced and signed a series of executive orders that seek to carry out his immigration agenda. Following through the promise he made during his campaign, he immediately ordered a widespread crackdown of undocumented immigrants targeting most especially those with criminal records. Just on the fourth day alone, there are already about a thousand migrants already sent to their home countries. The Department of Defense is assisting in carrying out deportation flights by using military planes and military personnel were deployed in the southern border in order to assist the border agents purportedly to perform support roles. However, it is undeniable that the visible power of the US military alone is enough to instill fear in the immigrant communities.

In addition, the acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security issued a directive empowering ICE agents to raid schools, churches, and hospitals in search of illegal immigrants. Businesses are not spared as establishments were barged into by ICE agents looking to arrest their workers. State and local officials are subject to investigation if they resist and refuse in enforcing these new immigration policies.

The president also issued an order that abandons the constitutional guarantee of birthright citizenship which triggered prompt legal challenges from a number of states. A federal judge has since temporarily blocked the enforcement of such an order but the president indicated that such ruling will be appealed.

In only a week's time, much has changed in the immigration landscape and more will be coming. It remains to be seen how much the administration can implement their agenda considering the massive resources it requires to fully carry it out. It may take months or even years to see the total fruition of his agenda. This does not include the fact that he will be challenged in court every step of the way. In the meantime, fear reigns across the immigrant communities with no real hope that there is meaningful legislative help coming from Congress. With a Republican-controlled House and Senate chambers whose members are too willing to please the whims of the president, there is nothing much to count on in that branch of the government.