President Trump’s executive orders aim to halt what he terms an ongoing “invasion” of the United States.
On Monday, President Trump signed several executive orders addressing immigration and bolstering the nation’s southern border security.
President Trump has consistently pledged a swift and stringent crackdown on illegal immigration.
“As commander-in-chief, my paramount duty is defending our nation from threats and invasions, and that is precisely what I intend to do,” President Trump declared during his inaugural address.
These executive actions encompass various security enhancements, including a declaration of national emergency at the southern border, the designation of drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, and the termination of automatic birthright citizenship for children born to parents who lack citizenship or lawful permanent resident status.
“America’s sovereignty is under attack. Our southern border is overwhelmed by cartels, criminal gangs, known terrorists, human traffickers, smugglers, unvetted military-age males from hostile nations, and illegal narcotics that harm Americans,” the emergency declaration states.
The alleged US “invasion” has purportedly caused “widespread chaos and suffering” during the Biden administration, with “foreign criminal gangs and cartels seizing control of parts of cities and attacking our most vulnerable citizens,” according to Trump’s claims.
The national emergency order empowers the US military to formulate a plan for deploying troops to reinforce the southern border. The Pentagon issued a statement affirming its “full commitment to executing the orders of our commander-in-chief, and is acting immediately under his direction.”
Classifying drug cartels, along with the Salvadoran gang MS-13 and the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, as foreign terrorist organizations allows the federal government to prosecute individuals suspected of supporting these groups. Furthermore, the order lays the groundwork for invoking the 1798 Alien Enemies Act, a measure previously suggested by Trump, to deport individuals designated as terrorists.
The order revoking birthright citizenship, effective in 30 days, has sparked significant criticism and legal challenges. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and other advocacy groups filed a lawsuit in a New Hampshire federal court, arguing the measure is unconstitutional and violates the 14th Amendment.
“Denying citizenship to US-born children is not only unconstitutional – it’s also a reckless and heartless rejection of American values,” stated ACLU executive director Anthony Romero.