President Trump has signed executive orders authorizing nationwide immigration raids, marking the beginning of a long list of actions he plans to take to address immigration issues. 

Among other actions, he intends to reinstate old policies, pause the processing of migrants seeking asylum and revoke birthright citizenship. 

“Remain in Mexico” policy 

The Remain in Mexico policy, reinstated by the Trump administration following the declaration of a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border, requires migrants seeking asylum to stay in Mexico while their claims are processed. Currently, Mexico’s president is cooperating and accepting people seeking asylum for humanitarian reasons. 

Pause processing of migrants seeking asylum

Along with the Remain in Mexico policy, within the first few days of his return, President Trump signed an executive order to shut down the border for asylum seekers, restricting humanitarian aid as well as protection for asylum seekers. As a result, migrants from several countries had their asylum appointments abruptly canceled with no other alternative. 

Revoke birthright citizenship 

Revoking birthright citizenship is one of Trump’s most legally-challenged proposals. President Trump aimed to end the right to citizenship for children born in America to undocumented immigrants and impose restrictions on who is considered a U.S. citizen. Currently, Trump’s executive order to end birthright citizenship has been blocked nationwide by a federal judge in Maryland.

With all these changes, many are uncertain about the future of immigration. Former Tualatin High School teacher Antonio Peña Anaya expressed his concerns regarding the situation. 

“I have many concerns. The biggest one for me is the separation of families,” he said. “There are millions who live in mixed status families. Deporting parents and leaving their U.S. citizen children behind is very inhumane.” 

He also commented on the current effects of Trump’s changes to immigration policy. 

“The entire immigration community will be impacted drastically,” he said. “We have seen the impacts already, as the immigration raids have started across the country. People are afraid to go to work, school and even go out of their house.” 

As his term progresses, further immigration restrictions and policies are expected to follow.