Friend,

As expected, Donald Trump began his second term by issuing a slew of harmful Executive Orders designed to terrify and devastate immigrants, their families, and communities across the United States.

Together, these orders attempt to lay the groundwork for Trump to separate countless loved ones from their families through prolonged immigration detention and deportation, deprive essential industries of needed workers, shut the United States’ doors to refugees and people seeking asylum, target civil society and social service organizations, and create an immigration police state rife with racial profiling and cruelty.

To be clear, some of these orders are illegal and doomed to fail. However, some are already in place and Trump wants to use all of them to spread fear, confusion, chaos throughout the country. It's more important than ever that we stay clear-eyed and loud — we still have power and rights amidst this attack, and we will wield them.

That is why NILC sprang into action, bringing together our team of experts, to analyze these orders and get information out to our communities and network of partners as quickly as possible.

Additionally, on Friday, before Trump took office, the Fifth Circuit issued a decision once again ruling against DACA. The most important thing to know is that renewals are still open for now. Current DACA recipients, including those in Texas, are still protected and authorized to work. It’s unclear if or when this might change, and that is why we will stay vigilant and organized.

Whether its attacks on DACA recipients, attempts to end birthright citizenship, or orchestrating mass deportations, it is clear that the Trump administration wants to shock the country into submission. That will not happen.

We will stand up for our communities, our neighbors, friends, and loved ones, and our rights each and every day that Donald Trump is president.

Thank you for being with us,

Heidi Altman
Vice President, Policy
National Immigration Law Center