Trump Border Security and Immigration Executive Orders

Just a few days after taking office, President Donald Trump has issued nine executive orders related to border security and immigration. Some policies in the orders will have an immediate effect, and some of the provisions will require substantial appropriations increases from Congress to have an impact. A number of the orders will face legal challenges in the federal courts. Below is a summary of the Trump border security and immigration executive orders as of January 23, 2025.

GUARANTEEING THE STATES PROTECTION AGAINST INVASION - Declares an invasion. Orders the suspension of the entry of aliens who are determined to be detrimental to the interests of the U.S. Orders that any alien who fails, before entering the United States, to provide Federal officials with sufficient medical information and reliable criminal history and background information as to enable fulfillment of current law is detrimental to the U.S. Suspends the physical entry of any alien engaged in the invasion across the southern border of the United States until Trump finds that the invasion has ceased. Orders the Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Secretary of State and the Attorney General, to take all appropriate action to repel, repatriate, or remove any alien engaged in the invasion across the southern border.

Designating Cartels And Other Organizations As Foreign Terrorist Organizations And Specially Designated Global Terrorists – Declares a national emergency and invasion. Directs the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Director of National Intelligence, to make a recommendation regarding the designation of any cartel or other organization as terrorist organizations. Directs these officials to prepare within 14 days a plan for the expedited removal of those designated under this order.

PROTECTING THE UNITED STATES FROM FOREIGN TERRORISTS AND OTHER NATIONAL SECURITY AND PUBLIC SAFETY THREATS – Directs The Secretary of State, in coordination with the Attorney General, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Director of National Intelligence, to increase the vetting of all aliens entering the U.S.

PROTECTING THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AGAINST INVASION – Orders that the federal government execute the immigration laws of the U.S. Revokes four Biden Administration executive orders related to border security: Revision of Civil Immigration Enforcement Policies and Priorities; Creating a Comprehensive Regional Framework To Address the Causes of Migration, To Manage Migration Throughout North and Central America, and To Provide Safe and Orderly Processing of Asylum Seekers at the United States Border; Establishment of Interagency Task Force on the Reunification of Families; and Restoring Faith in Our Legal Immigration Systems and Strengthening Integration and Inclusion Efforts for New Americans. Directs the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security to jointly establish Homeland Security Task Forces (HSTFs) in all States nationwide. The objective of each HSTF is to end the presence of criminal cartels, foreign gangs, and transnational criminal organizations throughout the United States, dismantle cross-border human smuggling and trafficking networks, end the scourge of human smuggling and trafficking, with a particular focus on such offenses involving children, and ensure the use of all available law enforcement tools to faithfully execute the immigration laws of the United States. Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to ensure that unauthorized immigrants register with the federal government for fingerprinting and identification. Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to ensure the assessment and collection of all fines and penalties that the Secretary of Homeland Security is authorized by law to assess and collect from aliens unlawfully present in the United States, including aliens who unlawfully entered or unlawfully attempted to enter the United States, and from those who facilitate such aliens’ presence in the United States. Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to ensure the efficient and expedited removal of aliens from the United States. Directs DHS to increase detention facilities. Directs DHS to utilize state and local law enforcement to enforce immigration laws. Directs DHS to help and encourage unauthorized immigrants to voluntarily depart with safeguards. Orders that parole be issued on a case-by-case basis. Orders that TPS designations be limited in scope and made for only so long as may be necessary to fulfill the textual requirements of statute. Orders that employment authorization is not provided to any unauthorized alien in the United States. Orders sanctuary jurisdictions to not receive access to federal funds. Orders DHS to stop the trafficking of alien children into the U.S. Orders the Attorney General to audit all NGOs that are receiving federal funds and providing services to unauthorized immigrants and to terminate funding for NGOs determined to be in violation of law or to be sources of waste, fraud, or abuse, and to initiate clawback or recoupment procedures. Directs DHS to hire more CBP and ICE officers.

SECURING OUR BORDERS – Directs the Department of Defense in to establish a wall and barriers, remove promptly all aliens who enter or remain in violation of Federal law, pursue criminal charges against illegal aliens who violate the immigration laws and those who facilitate their unlawful presence in the United States, cooperate with state and local law enforcement, and obtain complete operational control of the borders of the U.S. Directs Secretary of Homeland Security to take all appropriate actions to detain, to the fullest extent permitted by law, aliens apprehended for violations of immigration law until their successful removal from the United States. Asks for guidance on how to end “catch and release.” Orders the resumption of Migrant Protection Protocols. Terminates the CBP One app and all categorical parole programs. Directs the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security to take all appropriate action to prioritize the prosecution of offenses that relate to the borders of the United States.

PROTECTING THE MEANING AND VALUE OF AMERICAN CITIZENSHIP – Orders that a person born in the U.S., without one parent who has permanent legal status, will no longer qualify for citizenship beginning in 30 days.

REALIGNING THE United States REFUGEE ADMISSIONS PROGRAM – Suspends the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP). Allows the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security to admit refugees who are in the national interest on a case-by-case basis. Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State, to submit a report within 90 days on whether resumption of USRAP would be in the interests of the U.S. Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Attorney General, to determine if state and local jurisdictions may have greater involvement in the process of determining the placement or resettlement of refugees in their jurisdictions.

CLARIFYING THE MILITARY’S ROLE IN PROTECTING THE TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY OF THE UNITED STATES – Directs the U.S. Armed forces to develop a plan for “repelling forms of invasion, including unlawful mass migration, narcotics trafficking, human smuggling and trafficking, and other criminal activities,” within 30 days.

DECLARING A NATIONAL EMERGENCY AT THE SOUTHERN BORDER OF THE UNITED STATES – Declares a national emergency at the southern border. Directs the Department of Defense to send armed forces to the border, increase detention space, build additional physical barriers, utilize unmanned aerial systems, and to prioritize the impedance and denial of the unauthorized physical entry of aliens across the southern border.