Trump is taking “tough” action against migrants – is he keeping his promise?

The US administration of President Donald Trump wants to make it easier for immigration authorities to deport migrants who were temporarily allowed into the country during the previous administration of Joe Biden. The US media unanimously reported on a corresponding memorandum from the incumbent Secretary of Homeland Security, Benjamine Huffman. The memorandum allows authorities to begin deporting migrants who legally entered the United States under two programs based on “humanitarian parole.” There are said to have been more than a million people.

On the one hand, the memo concerns migrants who were admitted via the CBP One app. Since 2020, people who wanted to enter the USA have been able to use the app to make appointments at eight border crossings and submit asylum applications in advance. On the other hand, migrants who arrived through a special program for refugees from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela are affected. Under Biden, migrants were allowed to stay in the country for up to two years.

Both programs were discontinued on Monday by the new US government, which wants to take tougher action against migration. Under Democrat Biden, the two programs were reportedly considered legal entry options that were intended to deter migrants from crossing the US southern border illegally to seek asylum. Opponents of the programs questioned their legality.

Immediately after the Republican took office, the new Trump administration canceled appointments for migrants with the border protection agency CBP. Effective immediately, the functions of the CBP One app for scheduling future appointments have also been discontinued.

At that time, thousands of migrants were already waiting in southern and central Mexico for their appointment at the border. Some burst into tears when they learned their appointments had been canceled, local media reported.