Immigration Executive Order Analysis Database
This page tracks and documents the ongoing executive orders (EOs) from the Trump Administraiton that impact immigration, migration, and human rights. This page will be updated regularly with new EOs at the bottom (chronologically) and older EOs at the top.
This page tracks and documents the ongoing executive orders (EOs) from the Trump Administraiton that impact immigration, migration, and human rights. This page will be updated regularly with new EOs at the bottom (chronologically) and older EOs at the top.
Designating Cartels And Other Organizations As Foreign Terrorist Organizations And Specially Designated Global Terrorists
This Order declares a national emergency under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to designate certain international cartels and other organizations as Foreign Terrorist Organizations or Specially Designated Global Terrorists. The Order also requires the Attorney General and Secretary of Homeland Security to make operational preparations to invoke the Alien Enemies Act in relation to the “qualifying invasion or predatory incursion” against the U.S. by these organizations and to prepare facilities to expedite the removal of those designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations or Specially Designated Global Terrorists.
Declares a national emergency to designate international cartels and other organizations as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs). The order requires the Attorney General and Secretary of Homeland Security to make operational preparations to invoke the Alien Enemies act and to prepare facilities to detain and expedite the removal of people deemed part of FTOs.
Signed: 20-Jan-25
Effective: w/n 14 days
Challenges: NA
STAYED - Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship
Effective February 19, 2025, no department or agency of the U.S. government shall issue documents recognizing U.S. citizenship, or accept documents issued by State, local, or other governments or authorities purporting to recognize U.S. citizenship, to persons when their mother was unlawfully present in the U.S. and their father was not a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident at the time of their birth; or when their mother’s presence in the U.S. was temporary, including when visiting the U.S. under the Visa Waiver Program or visiting on a student, work, or tourist visa, and their father was not a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident at the time of their birth.
Eliminates the ability for children born to non-US Citizens to be recognized within the jurisdiction of the US as citizens or to accept documents issued by state and local governments attesting to the citizenship of people whose mother is unlawfully present and father was not a US citizen or legal permanent resident at the time. Also includes for when a mother’s presence in the US was temporary including under Visa Waiver Programs, visiting visa, student, work, or tourist visa and whose father was not a US citizen or legal resident at the time of their birth.
Signed: 20-Jan-25
Effective: 19-Feb-25
Challenges: States are suing against this EO because it violates the 14th Amendment. Suits filed on behalf of 22 states and trial set to be heard in Washington district court; judge issued a temporary stay on this policy; more information here: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/23/us/politics/judge-blocks-birthright-citizenship.html.
Clarifying the Military’s Role in Protecting the Territorial Integrity of the United States
Directs the Secretary of Defense to seal the US borders by USNORTHCOM for “repelling forms of invasion” designated as unlawful migration across the border (including mass migration, narcotics trafficking, human trafficking, and “other criminal activities").
Signed: 20-Jan-25
Effective: 30-Jan-25
Challenges: NA
Declaring a National Emergency at the Southern Border of the United States
Allows Armed Forces, Ready Reserve, and National Guard to support DHS in controlling the full southern border. Increases aerial systems to survey the southern border and allots additional logistical services to support enforcement; directs funds to the border wall construction. Waives all FAA and FCC regulations restricting DHS to counter aerial systems and allows DoD and DHS to take action against unauthorized entries. Revokes “Termination of Emergency with Respect to the SOuther Border of the United States and Redirection of Funds Diverted to Border Wall Construction.”
Signed: 20-Jan-25
Effective: 20-Jan-25
Challenges: NA
Initial Rescissions of Harmful Executive Orders and Actions
Revokes previous protections and revisions of civil immigration enforcement policies (including ICE jurisdiction) and revokes Biden-era expansions of Federal work permits that invite immigrants to work in federal offices. Revokes additional migration infrastructure for new arrivals (including those displaced by climate change).
Signed:20-Jan-25
Effective: 20-Jan-25
Challenges: NA
Protecting The United States From Foreign Terrorists And Other National Security And Public Safety Threats
Increases vetting for people seeking admission to the US and those already within the US. Agencies are asked to create a baseline screening and vetting standards consistent with Trump's first administration; also directs agencies to identify countries where additional screenings are needed and to identify entrants from those countries (with screening guidelines from the Biden Administration deemed inefficient) and review their actions in the US between 2020-2024.
Signed: 20-Jan-25
Effective:20-Jan-25
Challenges: NA
Realigning the United States Refugee Admissions Program
The Order suspends the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP). Effective January 27, 2025, entry under the USRAP is suspended and decisions on applications for refugee status are suspended. The Secretary of State and Secretary of Homeland Security may jointly determine to admit refugees on a case-by-case basis. Within 90 days, and every 90 days thereafter, the Secretary of State will report to the President whether resumption of USRAP is in the interest of the United States.
Suspends applications for and decisions about refugee status effective January 27, 2025; allows US State Department and DHS to determine refugee status on a case-by-case basis; within 90 days (and following) the Secretary of State will report directly to the President whether USRAP applications are reinstated; rescinds EO 14013 that brought USRAP protections.
Signed: 20-Jan-25
Effective: 27-Jan-25
Challenges: NA
Securing Our Borders
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/securing-our-borders/
Directs the building/construction of a permanent border wall and the deployment of personnel to achieve that construction and control of the border; directs the DHS to issue new policy guidance for the detention of undocumented immigrants and institute the Remain in Mexico program. It asks the DHS to cease the CBP and categorical humanitarian parole programs (the CHNV program from the Biden-Harris Administration) that brought protections for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans (CHNV); orders fingerprinting for all detained immigrants and familial relationships be confirmed. The Attorney General and DHS Secretary are order to prosecute offenses along the southern border (human, child, and sex trafficking). Mandates that the Secretary of State (and AG and DHS Secretary) identify safe "third countries" and facilitate agreements to relocate asylum seekers from the US.
Signed:20-Jan-25
Effective: 20-Jan-25
Challenges: NA
Protecting The American People Against Invasion
Allows executive departments to enforce deportation orders and expedite removal for people not paroled and who do not qualify for asylum; prioritizes people with criminal offenses related to unlawful entry to be deported first. It further directs funding to create facilities to detain those who are being removed. Creates a task force (Federal Homeland Security Task Force) to operationalize these deportations in every state and allows DHS to authorize state and local law enforcement to perform the functions of immigration officers.
Limits sanctuary jurisdictions’ access to federal funding and directs a review of federal funding to organizations that serve or aid those who are undocumented; allows DHS and State Department to implement sanctions on countries that do not cooperate with the US in accepting nationals who are deported out of the US and remove logistical barriers to repatriation. Pauses all employment authorizations for undocumented people and allows the Department of the Office of Management and Budget to supply funding to agencies to ensure these actions can be carried out.
Signed: 20-Jan-25
Effective: 20-Jan-25
Challenges: NA
Expanding Migrant Operations Center at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay to Full Capacity
This order will expand the capacity of Guantanamo Bay (to full) to include federally-detained migrants that are deemed a criminal threat to the US. It would also create space for high-priority detainees—determined by the Department of Defense and DHS—in the site.
Signed: 29-Jan-25
Effective: 29-Jan-25
Challenges: NA
Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Open Borders
The order reaffirms the existing federal law but specifies the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA), which prohibits unlawful entrants from obtaining several taxpayer-funded benefits. The order also emphasizes that unlawful entrants in the US should not depend on public resources and that a government interest exists in removing the incentive for illegal immigration provided y the availability of public benefits. Heads of executive departments are tasked with identifying federally-funded programs that allow unlawful entrants to obtain benefits and align them with governmental priorities; federal funding will be limited and redirected from localities that facilitate unlawful immigration; it will also increase eligibility verification to make sure that public, taxpayer-funded benefits do not go to unlawful entrants.
This would restrict benefits to unlawful entrants, increase verification for new applicants or petitioners for public taxpayer-funded benefit programs, expand the potential for legal action against unlawful entrants that seek these benefits, and pose an exigent threat to sanctuary city policies and practices.
Signed: 19-Feb-25
Effective: 19-Feb-25 (and in 30 days for some measures)
Challenges: NA (as of 20-Feb-25)
