The Trump Administration and the War on Immigration Diversity

This paper consists of three distinct sections. The first section presents a short history of immigration policy in the United States, paying particular attention to discriminatory laws that prevented non-white populations from entering the country and obtaining citizenship. The authors assert that laws put in place to limit immigration from countries like China were part of an effort to create a “white” nation. They note that the passage of the 1965 Immigration Act, which outlawed the use of race and national origin in determining eligibility for entry, thus produced a radical change in policy that greatly increased the diversity of the immigrant population. The second section reviews three key elements of the Trump Administration’s immigration policies – the Muslim Ban, changes in Public Charge guidelines that would make it more difficult for certain immigrants to gain permanent legal residency, and ending family reunification as the basis for legal immigration. The authors also touch on the Trump Administration’s efforts to end DACA and TPS for certain populations. They suggest that Trump’s rhetoric and actions are an attempt to return to a pre-1965 Immigration Act “white” nation. The third section of the report reviews challenges to the Trump Administration’s actions, particularly within the court system. This section presents detailed accounts of relevant Supreme Court decisions, including the arguments presented by the dissenting justices who ruled against the administration. The authors anticipate continued legal and political resistance to Trump’s policies.

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