US Immigration Policy Over the Years

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Main Story
US Immigration Policy Over the Years

What’s happening today

• Trump expands ICE raids nationwide, with Secretary Noem vowing to "liberate" cities like Los Angeles by rounding up tens of thousands of undocumented immigrants—even using National Guard and Marines as support.

• Mass deployment in LA: Over 4,000 National Guard troops and hundreds of Marines are active in Los Angeles amid ICE raids; a federal judge ruled the federal activation unconstitutional, but an appeals court paused the ruling, allowing operations to continue.

• Mass‑deportation campaign underway: Since early 2025, more than 139,000 people have been deported—including flights to El Salvador’s notorious prisons—using expanded ICE powers and controversial legal maneuvers.

📌 US Immigration Policy Over the Years

1. Start (early era)

• Colonial to the 1800s: Immigration was open and mostly unrestricted. After the Civil War, the federal government took control over immigration enforcement.

• By the 1890s, U.S. began implementing exclusion laws (e.g., banning Chinese immigrants) and forming the Immigration Bureau.

2. Evolution (20th century)

• 1924: National‑origin quotas sharply reduced immigration from non‑European countries .

• 1965: Immigration and Nationality Act removed those quotas, emphasizing family reunification and skilled immigrants

• Post‑9/11: 2002 Homeland Security Act created DHS, and enforcement agencies (ICE, CBP) were consolidated .

3. Current day (2025)

• During Trump’s second term, ICE is conducting nationwide raids, aided by National Guard and even Marines for support roles—raising constitutional­s concerns like Posse Comitatus (a law that limits the power of the federal government) and reports of detaining U.S. citizens.

• Mass deportations exceed 139,000 people, with some sent under the Alien Enemies Act to foreign prisons.

• President Trump acknowledges labor shortages in agriculture and hospitality, hinting at policy tweaks to protect farmworkers while targeting criminals .

4. Possible future

• Legal battles: Courts are reviewing whether federalizing state National Guards for enforcement is constitutional.

• Policy shifts: Trump suggested limiting raids on agricultural workers and hotel staff, raising hopes for temporary legal status for some undocumented workers.

• More militarized enforcement: DHS memo seeks to expand National Guard to 20,000 troops for support roles in raids, despite legal concerns over military's role in civilian law enforcement.

• Political divide: Deep splits among states and parties—some governors pushing back legally, while others may deploy their own forces or support federal actions.

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Resource of the Week
US Immigration Resource Kit

• American Immigration Council – “How the U.S. immigration system works”: Great overview of legal immigration structure—family, employment, humanitarian, and diversity pathways uscis.gov.

• Migration Policy Institute – “Explainers”: Plain‑English briefs on key aspects like visas, enforcement programs, and reform trends migrationpolicy.org

• USAGov – Immigration & Citizenship portal: Official U.S. government info on green cards, visas, DACA, deportation, and case tracking usa.gov.

That’s all for now. See you on Monday. 😊 

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