100 Days of Trump Targeting Immigrants

By Splinter Video | April 29, 2017 | 12:00am

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Donald Trump kicked off his presidency with multiple executive orders targeting immigrants at home and abroad. Those orders loosened the requirements for deporting immigrants, banned people—including refugees—from Muslim-majority countries, paved the path for building a border wall, and sought to cut federal funds for sanctuary cities. While some of these orders are being stalled in the courts or in Congress, Trump’s policies in just his first 100 days have left a lasting mark on many who call the U.S. home.

Doubling Down on Deportations

Arrests of undocumented immigrants with no criminal records more than doubled in the first few months of Trump’s administration, compared with the previous year. Among those arrested were people like Maribel Trujillo Diaz, a mother of four U.S.-born children, who was deported to Mexico in April.

Tearing Immigrant Families Apart

Immigration arrests spiked 33% overall in the first few weeks of Trump’s administration. Thirteen-year-old Fatima Avelica and her older sister recall the morning in March their father was taken by ICE as he dropped them off at school.

Detaining DACA Recipients

Dozens of DACA recipients have been detained by ICE. Juan Manuel Montes is reported to be the first DACA recipient deported under Trump’s administration, even though the president had previously said undocumented people who arrived illegally as children shouldn’t worry about being targeted by immigration authorities. Montes is suing, and the case will be decided by the same judge Trump accused of bias because he’s Mexican.

Banning People from Muslim-Majority Countries

In the same week that Trump issued his executive order affecting undocumented immigrants, he also banned people from multiple Muslim majority countries. This Sudanese green card holder and PhD student arrived back to the U.S. just as the immigration ban was going into effect. Here’s what she experienced coming home to Trump’s America.

Threatening Sanctuary Cities

Sanctuary cities have also been challenged under Trump. San Francisco and Seattle have already initiated lawsuits against the government over its order that withdraws federal funding for sanctuary cities, which was recently temporarily blocked by a federal court. Even before Trump entered into office, the number of churches offering sanctuary had doubled to approximately 800 in 2016.

Trying to Build That Wall

The president is still trying to figure out how to build his infamous border wall. The project, which would cost billions of dollars, is facing a stalemate in Congress. Many Republican members oppose spending that kind of money, let alone on a project that is considered the least effective way to secure the border.

Weakening the Workforce

The U.S. has reaped many economic benefits from welcoming immigrants, and it will still need a steady influx of immigrants to keep the economy going—and strong.