8 Unsettling Revelations from the Latest Immigration Policy Changes

April 30, 2025

As the media and the American people look back on the first 100 days of President Trump’s second term, immigration is an issue that stands out. Many changes have been made to the United States’ immigration policy, which have left some Americans questioning what direction things are going in. As a U.S. citizen, it is important to understand these developments, no matter how you are affected. Here are eight rather unsettling revelations highlighting the impact of the latest round of immigration policy changes.

1. Sanctuary Cities Face Federal Retaliation

President Trump has intensified efforts against sanctuary cities—jurisdictions that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. A new executive order demands a list of such jurisdictions and proposes cutting their federal funding, denying public benefits to undocumented immigrants, and penalizing universities offering in-state tuition to them. While sanctuary jurisdictions report better public safety and economic indicators, the administration claims they endanger U.S. citizens and obstruct federal law. Critics argue these actions lack legal grounding and infringe on states’ rights. Several cities and states, including San Francisco and Illinois, have legally challenged these measures, emphasizing the importance of community trust in law enforcement.

2. Massive Funding Boost for Deportations and Detentions

As part of a massive tax reform package, House Republicans are allocating billions of dollars to support President Trump’s aggressive immigration policies. The proposal includes $46.5 billion to expand the U.S.-Mexico border wall, funding for thousands of new Border Patrol and customs officers, and harsh new fees on asylum seekers and immigration applicants, such as a $1,000 asylum application fee and a $3,500 fee for sponsors of unaccompanied children. The plan also targets the deportation of 1 million immigrants annually and the expansion of detention facilities to hold up to 100,000 individuals, including families and children. Despite strong objections from Democrats, all proposed amendments to soften the bill’s immigration measures failed along party lines.

3. International Students Caught in Legal Crossfire

In early 2025, new court-revealed details exposed a flawed Trump-era initiative named the “Student Criminal Alien Initiative,” which aimed to scrutinize foreign students in the U.S. on F-1 visas. The project involved Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and contractors running 1.3 million student names through a federal criminal database, resulting in about 6,400 matches. However, many of these “hits” represented minor infractions—like dismissed charges or traffic violations—and did not meet legal standards for visa revocation. Despite this, ICE used the data to terminate student records in the SEVIS tracking system, causing some students to be barred from classes and face potential deportation. The effort triggered over 100 lawsuits, prompting a federal judge to deem the process unlawful and lacking due process.

4. Local Police Deputized for Immigration Enforcement

The Trump administration has significantly expanded the 287(g) program, which enables local law enforcement to enforce federal immigration laws. Despite prior controversies and allegations of misconduct, the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office in North Carolina was recently approved for the program, a decision raising alarm among civil rights advocates. Under Trump’s leadership, over 370 new agreements have been signed, tripling the total agreements nationwide. The administration also dissolved a DHS oversight board, funneling approval power directly to ICE, thereby eliminating safeguards meant to prevent civil rights abuses. Experts and former officials warn this surge poses risks of administrative failures and rights violations, especially in small departments with limited oversight.

5. Birthright Citizenship Under Legal Challenge

Executive Order 14160, titled “Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship,” signed by President Trump on January 20, 2025, aims to challenge the prevailing interpretation of the Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment. The executive order seeks to end birthright citizenship in the United States for children of illegal immigrants as well as immigrants legally but temporarily present in the U.S., such as those on student, work, or tourist visas. The order was swiftly challenged in court by multiple organizations and states, being blocked by multiple federal judges. As of April 17, 2025, the Supreme Court said it would hear arguments in May regarding the executive order.

6. New Travel Ban Targets 43 Countries

On January 20, 2025, President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 14161 titled “Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats.” The order seeks to protect Americans “from aliens who intend to commit terrorist attacks, threaten [U.S.] national security, espouse hateful ideologies, or otherwise exploit immigration laws for malevolent purposes.” To achieve this goal, the order calls for enhanced vetting and screening measures for all foreign nationals seeking to enter or already present in the United States since January 20, 2021. On March 14, 2025, The New York Times reported that the Trump administration released a draft list of 43 countries that could be affected under EO 14161. As of April 1, 2025, the implementation of EO 14161 has been indefinitely postponed with no new date set, as the State Department continues to evaluate which countries are subject to the travel restrictions.

7. Controversial ‘Gold Card’ Visa Proposal

A Gold Card visa is a proposed type of residency permit for the United States, which would allow investors residency and a path to citizenship for a payment of $5 million to the United States Government. The gold card proposal was first announced by President of the United States Donald Trump on February 25, 2025, who estimated the program would launch by the end of March 2025. Unlike the green card, the gold card would require a cash payment of $5 million directly to the United States Government. Trump said cardholders would not have to pay tax on income generated outside of the United States, but would pay full taxes on income derived from within the United States. Some immigration attorneys suggested that scrapping the EB-5 in favor of the proposed Gold Card would be a deterrent to migration for many Chinese nationals who currently use the former program, due to its higher cost.

8. Laken Riley Act Mandates Detention for Certain Offenses

The Laken Riley Act is a United States law that requires the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to detain illegal immigrants admitting to, charged with, or convicted of theft-related crimes, assaulting a police officer, or a crime that results in death or serious bodily injury, like drunk driving. The Act also allows states to sue the Department of Homeland Security for alleged failures in immigration enforcement. The bill was introduced following the murder of Laken Riley by an illegal immigrant who had previously been cited for shoplifting on the campus of the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia. On January 22, 2025, the House agreed to the Senate’s version of the bill with a 263–156 vote. President Donald Trump signed the bill into law on January 29, 2025.

Navigating the New Immigration Landscape

Many Americans are concerned about the immigration policy changes, and rightfully so. During his first 100 days in office, Donald Trump has had his foot on the gas, so to speak, and immigration has been one of his main focuses. He’s made several controversial executive orders and continues to deport individuals, despite Americans questioning the ethics behind it all. The best thing you can do at this point is to continue to stay informed about what’s going on. It will help you navigate the situation moving forward, no matter how it is impacting your life.

What are your thoughts on these recent immigration policy changes? Share your perspectives and experiences in the comments below.

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Drew Blankenship

Drew Blankenship is a former Porsche technician who writes and develops content full-time. He lives in North Carolina, where he enjoys spending time with his wife and two children. While Drew no longer gets his hands dirty modifying Porsches, he still loves motorsport and avidly watches Formula 1.