President-elect Donald Trump has outlined a series of sweeping immigration reforms he plans to implement in his first 100 days in office. Among his top priorities are mass deportations, the end of special visas for residents of certain countries, and a rollback of policies introduced by the Biden administration.
Trump’s administration aims to quickly initiate the deportation of hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants, including those with criminal records or final removal orders. His team plans to eliminate the parole program for nationals from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, which currently allows some individuals from these countries to enter the U.S. legally under humanitarian grounds. Additionally, Trump is expected to undo a key policy that limits deportations to those considered threats to national security or public safety.
Legal challenges are anticipated, especially from immigrant rights groups. However, with Trump having appointed over 200 federal judges during his first term and three conservative justices to the Supreme Court, he may face a more favorable judicial environment. Despite these potential hurdles, Trump’s administration is already preparing for legal battles, drawing lessons from the failed 2017 travel ban targeting majority-Muslim nations.
One of the main challenges, however, will be the logistics of executing mass deportations. Trump’s team has emphasized the deportation of those with criminal convictions or final removal orders, but the sheer scale of the operation presents significant obstacles. With a detention system already stretched thin and a massive immigration court backlog, the process of deporting millions will be costly and resource-intensive. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will need more personnel and funding to meet Trump’s ambitious deportation goals. Currently, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) employs 7,000 officers who conduct approximately 250,000 deportations a year. If Trump aims to quadruple this number, substantial increases in resources and training will be necessary.
In addition to deportations, Trump’s administration is expected to take immediate action on other fronts. One key initiative is the termination of the special parole program for nationals from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. Under the Biden administration, this program allowed certain residents of these countries to enter the U.S. legally with an American sponsor. By August, nearly 530,000 people had benefited from the program, but Trump has expressed his intent to expel many of them. He has also signaled plans to revoke Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians, a status that protects individuals from countries in crisis from deportation and grants them work permits.
Trump’s team has strong ties to restrictionist groups such as the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), which advocates for reduced immigration. Dan Stein, head of FAIR, stated that Trump’s team would move quickly to reverse Biden-era policies. Mark Krikorian of the Center for Immigration Studies, another restrictionist group, echoed this sentiment, suggesting that protections like TPS would likely be sharply curtailed under the new administration.
Another major shift is expected in Trump’s approach to deportation priorities. Early in the Biden administration, DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas issued a memo prioritizing the deportation of individuals who posed threats to national security or public safety. Trump’s team plans to roll back this guidance, which they argue hinders effective enforcement. One source familiar with the transition suggested that this memo could be rescinded on Day One, as part of a broader set of executive actions aimed at eliminating what they perceive as bureaucratic obstacles.
Trump’s administration is also expected to undo the Biden administration’s CBP One mobile app, which allows migrants to schedule asylum appointments. While Democrats hailed the app as a tool to create order at the border, Republicans criticized it as a way to expedite illegal immigration. Amnesty International also raised concerns that the app violates international law by restricting asylum seekers’ ability to choose where and how to seek refuge.
To support his aggressive immigration agenda, Trump may use diplomatic pressure on countries that resist taking back deported individuals. A significant obstacle to rapid deportations is that many countries refuse to accept their nationals, especially those convicted of violent crimes. In these cases, individuals can remain in U.S. detention indefinitely. To address this, Trump’s team may threaten sanctions or visa restrictions against countries that do not cooperate with repatriation efforts. This tactic was used by both the Trump and Obama administrations, but has largely been absent under Biden.
Trump is also expected to revive his controversial “Remain in Mexico” policy, which requires asylum seekers to stay in Mexico while their immigration cases are processed in U.S. courts. However, this policy would require a new agreement with Mexico, a challenge that the incoming administration will need to address quickly.
As Trump prepares to take office, his immigration policies are expected to set the stage for a contentious and fast-paced battle over enforcement, legal challenges, and diplomatic negotiations. His administration’s ambitious agenda reflects a commitment to reversing many of the policies set by the Biden administration, while also navigating the practical and political challenges of mass deportation and border security.
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