Policies Under Consideration in Trump’s Campaign.
Border Enforcement
Former President Donald Trump has announced his intention to reinstate the 2019 “remain in Mexico” program if elected. This policy required non-Mexican asylum-seekers attempting to enter the U.S. through the southern border to remain in Mexico while their cases were resolved. The program was discontinued by President Joe Biden, who ended his re-election campaign in July, making Vice President Kamala Harris the Democratic nominee. Biden, who defeated Trump in 2020, had promised more humane immigration policies but faced challenges with record numbers of migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border illegally.
Trump also plans to bring back the Title 42 policy, which was introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic. This policy allowed U.S. border officials to swiftly expel migrants to Mexico without giving them the opportunity to seek asylum. In an interview with Time magazine, Trump explained that he would justify these emergency measures by citing record levels of border crossings and the trafficking of fentanyl and children.
Additionally, Trump has vowed to end the practice known as “catch and release,” aiming to detain all migrants caught crossing the border illegally or violating other immigration laws. During his first term, Trump prioritized building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, constructing 450 miles (725 km) of barriers. If re-elected, he plans to close remaining gaps in the wall.
At a campaign event in Arizona, Trump criticized a Biden administration asylum policy introduced in June, pledging to reverse it if elected. Although this policy is similar to Trump-era measures, Trump argued that it would not adequately secure the border. He also suggested that he might use tariffs to pressure China and other countries to prevent their citizens from migrating to the U.S.-Mexico border.
Mass Deportations
Trump has committed to launching the largest deportation effort in U.S. history, targeting criminals but also seeking to deport millions of immigrants. In an interview with Time magazine, Trump did not rule out the possibility of building new migrant detention camps but said they might not be necessary due to the rapid removal of migrants.
To carry out these deportations, Trump indicated that he would rely on the National Guard and, if necessary, federal troops, a move that could face legal challenges. He also plans to use the 1789 Alien Enemies Act to deport immigrants with criminal records and suspected gang members. Stephen Miller, who shaped Trump’s first-term immigration policies, has suggested that National Guard troops from cooperative states could be deployed to assist with deportations in less supportive states, potentially leading to legal disputes.
Biden has outpaced Trump in deportation numbers for any single year, and the pace is expected to increase further this year, including migrants returned to Mexico.
Travel Bans
Trump has proposed expanding travel bans on individuals from certain countries or with specific ideologies, building on a policy upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018. In an October 2023 speech, Trump outlined his plan to impose travel restrictions on people from regions like the Gaza Strip, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, and other areas perceived as threats to U.S. security. He emphasized the conflict in Gaza, stating that he would bar entry to immigrants supporting the Islamist militant group Hamas and send deportation officers to pro-Hamas protests.
In June, Trump announced his intention to block communists, Marxists, and socialists from entering the U.S.
Legal Immigration
Trump has reiterated his desire to end automatic citizenship for children born in the U.S. to immigrants living illegally in the country, a move that would challenge the long-standing interpretation of a constitutional amendment and likely face legal opposition.
During his first term, Trump significantly reduced the number of refugees allowed into the U.S. He has criticized Biden’s decision to increase refugee admissions and has expressed plans to suspend the resettlement program again if re-elected. Trump has also called for a merit-based immigration system that prioritizes American labor and values.
In response to the COVID pandemic, Trump’s administration restricted access to certain visa programs, including a suspension of many work visas. The Trump campaign has also criticized a new Biden program that offers a pathway to citizenship for immigrants in the U.S. illegally who are married to American citizens and have lived in the country for at least a decade.
In June, Trump voiced support for giving green cards to foreign students graduating from U.S. colleges, but his campaign later clarified that this would apply only to thoroughly vetted graduates who would not compete with American workers for jobs. Additionally, Trump has promised to end Biden’s “parole” programs that have allowed hundreds of thousands of migrants with U.S. sponsors to enter the country and obtain work permits. He has described these programs, which include Ukrainians and Afghans, as an “outrageous abuse of parole authority.”
Trump also plans to roll back Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designations, targeting another humanitarian program that provides deportation relief and work permits to hundreds of thousands of migrants. While Trump attempted to phase out most TPS enrollment during his first term, legal challenges slowed the process. A federal appeals court permitted the wind-down in September 2020, but Biden reversed the decision and expanded the program after taking office.
Family Separation
When asked about resuming the controversial “zero tolerance” policy that led to the separation of thousands of migrant children and parents at the U.S.-Mexico border in 2018, Trump has not ruled it out. He defended the policy in a November interview with Univision, claiming it discouraged people from attempting to cross the border.
However, while Trump has not dismissed the possibility of reinstating family separations, key allies who could join a potential second-term administration have expressed reservations. The Biden administration, in October, announced a settlement agreement with separated families that offers temporary legal status and other benefits while prohibiting similar separations for at least eight years.
DACA
Trump previously sought to terminate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which provides deportation relief and work permits to “Dreamers,” immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children. However, the Supreme Court blocked the termination in June 2020. Following the ruling, the Trump administration stopped accepting new DACA applications and considered ending the program again.