The US immigration crackdown: Donald Trump has lost public support for his agenda by going too far
One, draconian limits on refugees: Admissions had grown under Joe Biden, swamping US support systems.On Trump’s first day in office, he pivoted to the other extreme with an executive order that shut the Refugee Admissions Program, leaving thousands of refugees stranded, including those with applications in process. The new admission rate is just 7,500.Trump has decried immigrants from what he calls ‘Third World’ countries and been vocal about a preference for White immigrants.
His refugee programme gives preference to White Afrikaners, whom Trump has said face persecution [in South Africa].He is also promoting his anti-refugee stance as a new standard for Europe. In November, a State Department post on X warned that “Mass migration poses an existential threat to Western civilization and undermines the stability of key American allies.”Two, legal status of immigrants who’ve done nothing wrong revoked: Trump has steadily widened the pool of illegal immigrants by stripping legal status from those who entered under temporary protections.He ended or is trying to end Temporary Protected Status for Haitians, Venezuelans, Afghans, Hondurans, Somalis, Ethiopians and others who arrived after being vetted.
More than 1.2 million immigrants who had been here legally may soon find themselves subject to deportation.Three, record numbers of immigrants detained: Over the summer, a temporary facility in Florida became known for its inhumane conditions—and its callous name: Alligator Alcatraz. It was the first of several nicknamed detention centres celebrated by the administration.
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