Trump's immigration policy focuses on people who haven't earned right to be here | Your Turn
Immigration was top of mind for voters. Do you agree with Trump's policies on it? Here's what you told us.
If you ask voters what issues they cared about most going into the 2024 election, immigration was often at the top of the list. And President Donald Trump is the result.
Since taking office seven weeks ago, Trump has wasted no time enacting his agenda. He immediately issued executive orders focused on ending birthright citizenship and announced a new $5 million "gold card" policy. He's begun to make good on his promise of mass deportations and announced new directives for Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, including operations that target migrant families with children.
Immigration and the border has long been a polarizing issue nationwide. As part of our Opinion Forum, we wanted to know: How do you feel about what Trump is doing? Do you agree with President Trump's immigration policies and actions? And how is all of this playing out in your area? We heard from people across the country. Here's what they told us.
Some should be deported, but racial profiling would be wrong
I agree with some of President Donald Trump's immigration policies and some I don't. I agree we can't keep up with the influx. I believe the system needs an overhaul, starting with removing the roadblocks to citizenship, to make it easier.
We need to only deport childless individuals who have come over recently and especially ones who have committed crimes. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is in danger of racially profiling deportation suspects.
Federal immigration enforcement officials have been making arrests in Spokane, Washington. There was a protest in Spokane on Feb. 10 that overran the occupancy capacity of city hall.
I do think if both parents are illegal, there should be no right to citizenship because of a child being born here.
— Cody Hance, Cheney, Washington
Illegal immigration must be stopped. People haven't earned the right to be here.
I agree with both Trump's policies and actions. Legal immigration is broadly supported, but illegal immigration needs to be stopped.
The president and his team are keeping their promises. They are focused on criminals and people who have not earned the right to be here, legally or illegally. There are so many qualified people who want to come here and contribute.
I’ve seen nothing personally in terms of effects of his policies on my region, but I have heard our local leaders offer support.
Birthright citizenship should be eliminated. Two illegal immigrants can’t produce a legal citizen because of the location they are in when the child is born. It was never intended by our Founding Fathers to work this way, and we need to support policies that make it clear.
— Russell Johnson, Toms River, New Jersey
Trump's immigration policies are cruel, callous and inhumane
Trump's immigration policies are cruel, callous and inhumane. I have traveled the West and there is such a surplus of land there. Why not take a cue from the Chinese and actually build brand new cities there to house the immigrants and bring in some industrial giants, tech companies, factories, etc., and return to what America's always been – a beacon of hope, a portal to freedom?
The deportations are nauseating, revulsive, utterly NOT the American way. They stand against everything the Statue of Liberty stands for. Why don't we just tear it down? It's now been rendered into a meaningless paean that doesn't embody what we stand for today.
As for birthright citizenship, it should be kept.
— Yitta Halberstam, New York City
Babies latch immigrants to America like an anchor latches ship to sea floor
I agree with Trump's deportation policy. As long as he keeps it to criminals at first. Then go after the nonviolent to at least force them to legally apply and let them stay.
Finally, a politician keeping a promise. I doubt he will follow through with everything else.
I'm in Massachusetts and there were some immigration actions at first, but I haven't heard much lately.
YES, the U.S. should do away with birthright citizenship. A majority of countries don't do this. Get rid of "anchor babies." They come over and drop anchor, a baby that latches them to America like an anchor latches a ship to the sea floor. It's vastly abused!
— Andre Lewis, Springfield, Massachusetts
Wrong to put people in profit-making cages
I do not agree with Trump's immigration policies because they are harsh and inhumane. They will hurt our economy and destroy our standing in the world. It is wrong to eliminate birthright citizenship, and it is wrong to break up families and put people in profit-making cages.
Mass deportation is unethical and destructive to our economy. Who will do the hard work in agriculture and construction? Who will care for us as we age?
I have seen growing fear and anxiety in my community because of collaboration between police and ICE. I know friends who have been reported for minor crimes such as driving with an inappropriate license when our state won't issue them a license.
Many of our ancestors became citizens through birthright. It is against the Constitution to get rid of birthright citizenship.
— Dorothy Foster, Clarkesville, Georgia
Trump brings common sense to struggling immigration system
I do support the Trump administration’s efforts to put some common sense back into our struggling immigration system.
I like a political leader who keeps their word on what they plan to do. President Trump has done just that on a wide range of issues, especially immigration.
After four years of directionless waffling by the weak-kneed Biden administration, Oklahoma openly endorsed the new Trump initiatives and is working/cooperating closely with both ICE and the Homeland Security Department in removing undesirables.
Should we get rid of birthright citizenship? Yes, absolutely. The U.S. is in the the minority of countries that still has this archaic practice.
— Kenneth B. Armstrong, Oklahoma City
14th Amendment is pretty clear
I don't agree with Trump's immigration policies and actions. There needs to be a pathway for immigrants to obtain citizenship.
The president has sort of kept his promise on deportation. Trump is actually deporting people at a slower rate than Joe Biden’s last year in the Oval Office. Yes, get rid of the criminals, but not the immigrants working and contributing to society.
In terms of what I've seen in my region, the policies have had little effect on me.
I don't think we should get rid of birthright citizenship. Read the Constitution; the 14th Amendment is pretty clear.
Trump also can't stop spending authorized by Congress or disband agencies authorized by Congress. He is a menace to our country. True patriotism is to oppose Trump.
— Glenn Fernandes, Orange, Ohio
Immigration helped Trump win more Hispanic, Black voters
I wholeheartedly am with Trump's immigration policy. I think he won on this issue as the Democrats opened up the border and we have seen illegal immigration like we have never seen before.
I think immigration is a very important topic for Americans. We've seen president Trump win in numbers with Hispanic Americans and Black Americans that a Republican hasn't seen in a long time. Illegal immigration impacts minority communities harder than other communities.
I've seen a few protests in my area, but they are not widespread even with all the fearmongering from the Democrats.
And, yes, I think birthright citizenship should be done away with. I think it's ridiculous that you can come here, drop a baby and that baby has citizenship. The parents are not subjects of the U.S., so it stands to reason the baby isn't, either.
— Terry Leyba, Denton, Texas
Make America great again by increasing immigration on southern border
No, I don't agree with Trump's immigration policies. Or with doing away with birthright citizenship. We need to make America great again by reincarnating Ellis Island on the southern border. Thousands legally admitted every day with a simple hearing. Immigrants make America great.
Trump's deportation actions are theater, roughly the same as with the Obama administration, but with lots of racist bloviating and wasted money on military jets and other photo ops.
In Columbus, Ohio, a man with a valid U.S. visa was taken away, and if it wasn't for his immigration attorney, Inna Simakovsky, who knows how far it would have gone?
— Chris Capoccia, Columbus, Ohio