United States of America - January 2025

President Donald Trump has moved to significantly restrict immigration and the right to seek asylum. Through executive orders, the Trump administration has declared the situation at the southern border to be a national emergency, directing the armed forces to repel undocumented migration (along with trafficking in persons and narcotics). The orders further call for the evaluation of visa programs, significantly restrict access to legal status and humanitarian protection, ending parole for migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela, whose legal status is now uncertain. They also suspend refugee resettlement and most decisions on applications for refugee status. Executive orders that in the previous administration sought to facilitate the reunification of migrant families have been rescinded. The move to restrict birthright citizenship, excluding children born to undocumented migrants has been particularly controversial. Rights organizations, local officials and religious organizations have filed lawsuits to challenge the constitutionality of these orders.

Sources: NBC, ProPublica, Just Security