WHAT DOES THE IMMIGRATION LANDSCAPE LOOK LIKE WITH THE ARRIVAL OF DONALD TRUMP TO THE PRESIDENCY?

November 27, 2024

Since Donald Trump’s victory as president was announced, one of the biggest questions has been about the measures the president will take regarding immigration.
People from other countries who do not have citizenship have begun to seek information and contact lawyers for advice on finding the best ways to protect themselves from possible actions by Trump. Even those with permanent residency have felt nervous about the measures the new administration may take.

Although it is still too early to know exactly how laws will be implemented and enforced, Trump and some of his closest advisers have already shared some details on how he plans to proceed.
At Pikes Peak Immigration, we have compiled some of the main news stories published in recent weeks to give a glimpse of what is to come:

Reuters reported that the first actions to intensify the enforcement of immigration laws and reverse legal entry programs «will be led by incoming ‘border czar’ Tom Homan and other hardline Republicans on immigration.»

On the other hand, unofficial sources have also mentioned that among the president’s intentions is to end «the humanitarian programs of President Joe Biden, which allowed hundreds of thousands of migrants to enter legally in recent years and could encourage those with expired statuses to leave voluntarily, according to sources who requested anonymity.»

Regarding deportation, Reuters states, “Trump’s first executive actions would launch his immigration agenda, which includes the promise to deport a record number of immigrants living illegally in the U.S. Trump intends to further reduce illegal crossings and adopt a whole-of-government approach to arrest, detain, and deport a large number of people. Trump’s order would require deportations to prioritize people accused of serious crimes and those who have exhausted their legal options to remain, but it would not restrict officers from picking up other potentially deportable immigrants.”

Currently, there are at least 13 million undocumented immigrants living in the U.S. and it is estimated that 1.4 million immigrants in the U.S. have final deportation orders, according to ICE, a group that will be the focus of the incoming Trump administration.

«Another order would address border security, said the sources. Trump intends to send National Guard troops to the border and declare illegal immigration a national emergency to unlock funds for the construction of the border wall,» the sources said.

Meanwhile, programs like PAROL and DACA are feeling heavily threatened by decisions Trump may make in the future. This is due to the fact that during his previous term, he targeted these programs, and it is believed that in this new term, he will take radical steps against them.

What will Trump’s possible strategy be to achieve his goal?

An article published by The New York Times commented, «Voters from both parties were frustrated by the chaos at the border during President Biden’s administration. Trump campaigned with the promise of mass deportations and last week stated that he intended to declare a national emergency and use the U.S. military to achieve his goal. His top immigration policy advisor, Stephen Miller, has said that ‘large detention facilities’ would serve as ‘processing centers’ for the operation. This week, the Texas state land commissioner offered the federal government more than 1,000 acres near the border to build detention centers.»

The New York Times article also mentions, “Homan has said that the administration will prioritize deporting criminals and individuals with pending deportation orders, but he also mentioned that there will be workplace raids and the use of other tools to detain undocumented immigrants, many of whom have lived in the country for decades.”

«A particular concern is the arrival of the winter holidays when many international students might visit their home countries. On his first day in the White House in 2017, Trump banned entry to the U.S. for people from predominantly Muslim countries, which created chaos at airports. The measure was challenged in court, but a later version survived.»

Another strategy he plans to apply is:

In another article published by the BBC, it is mentioned that another tactic proposed by Homan to achieve immigration order is «cutting federal funding to states that do not cooperate with the administration’s promises of mass deportations of undocumented immigrants.» Several states, including California, Illinois, New Mexico, and Arizona, have promised to oppose Trump’s plans, and legal challenges are almost certain.

«Among the states whose governors have said they will not assist with mass deportations are California, Arizona, and New Mexico, three of the four U.S. states along the U.S.-Mexico border. Immigrants hope that Trump’s mass deportations will only target ‘criminals.'»

Preliminary data obtained by CBS, the U.S. partner of the BBC, suggests that U.S. Border Patrol is on track to record fewer than 50,000 migrant detentions crossing the U.S.-Mexico border in November. In September, the number of detentions at the border stood at about 54,000, far below the historic high of 302,000 recorded in December 2023.

Despite Trump and his cabinet’s plans to fulfill all their promises on immigration by January 20, and despite the work being done on all the mentioned strategies, many questions remain about whether it will truly be possible to fully implement these intentions, considering the various economic and legal factors that could pose significant obstacles.

Although Trump will likely make life harder for immigrants, we will not be scared or intimidated. Immigrant rights are human rights. We are here to uphold those rights and we will continue fighting for you every step of the way. President- Elect Trump and his administration cannot change the fundamentals or content of immigration law.

That means that the core of immigration law such as temporary visas, asylum, VAWA, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, adjustment of status to a permanent resident and naturalization to become a citizen will remain available. Only the U.S. Congress can change immigration law, which is unlikely because both the Senate and the House are divided and cannot agree regarding changes to immigration law. However, Trump and his administration are likely to slow down the processing of cases and to increase immigration enforcement. In light of Trump’s election, Pikes Peak Immigration is more resolute than ever to protect our client’s rights in Colorado and beyond. We will continue to be defenders of immigrant rights.

If you need help with your case, call us at 719-602-4477.

Sources of information:

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdxv0ey94gxo

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trumps-day-one-deportations-border-wall-scrapping-biden-humanitarian-programs-2024-11-12

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DHS sent an email to a citizen telling her she has 7 days to leave the country.

By 7070266136 • April 17, 2025

Recently, several cases have been reported in which the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has sent communications to citizens and legal residents, urging them to leave the country or face potential legal action. Among the various cases, one that has drawn particular attention is that of Nicole Micheroni, an immigration attorney born in the U.S., who received an email from DHS dated April 11, informing her that she must leave the country within seven days. The message, titled "Notice of Parole Termination," stated that her parole had been revoked. Although DHS later suggested that the email may have been sent in error due to her email address being associated with clients, the situation reveals a concerning practice. This incident indicates that DHS may be sending intimidating mass emails intended to pressure recipients to leave the country. According to the website Nbcboston , “In a statement, a senior official from the Department of Homeland Security told NBC10 Boston that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is issuing parole termination notices to individuals who do not have legal status to remain in the country, and that 'CBP used the known email addresses of the foreign nationals to send the notifications. If a non-personal email was provided—such as one belonging to a U.S. citizen—it’s possible that the notifications were sent to unintended recipients. CBP is monitoring the communications and will address any issues on a case-by-case basis.’” These actions reflect an escalation in immigration policies under the Trump administration, affecting not only immigrants but also U.S. citizens and legal residents. If you need legal assistance or additional information on immigration matters, contact us to schedule an appointment at (719) 602-4477.

ICE arrested an activist in Colorado

By 7070266136 • April 9, 2025

Jeanette Vizguerra, a prominent immigrant and labor rights activist in Colorado, was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). She is currently being held in an ICE facility in Aurora, Colorado, awaiting deportation to Mexico. ICE claims that Vizguerra entered the U.S. illegally from Mexico in 1997 and has a final deportation order. However, her legal team challenges the validity of this order, arguing that it was reinstated incorrectly and that she has received due process. A hearing is scheduled for March 28, 2025, in which U.S. District Judge Nina Wang will consider these arguments and decide on her potential release. This arrest is particularly significant, as Vizguerra’s case gained national attention during the previous Trump administration. She became known as an immigrant rights activist after, in 2017, to avoid deportation, she moved into a church basement with her three children. Later, she was named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people of 2017. On March 17, Vizguerra was arrested by ICE while on a break from her job at Target (a store that, by the way, has openly declared itself non-protective of immigrants). According to reports, during the arrest, officials told her, "We finally have you." This statement has been interpreted by many as a clear example of persecution toward activists. According to The New York Times, "Her detention has already sparked backlash from Colorado’s Democratic politicians and immigrant rights advocates, who accused the Trump administration of attempting to silence critics of its harsh immigration policies." The New York Times quoted Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, who condemned the arrest of Ms. Vizguerra as "a Putin-style persecution of political dissidents," which ensnared a working-class mother who had dedicated her life to helping other undocumented immigrants. “We don’t see this as immigration law enforcement,” he said in an interview. “This is about targeting political opponents and using the power of the government to punish them.” Colorado Democratic Senator Michael Bennet called Ms. Vizguerra a "pillar of her community" and urged U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials to release her. An ICE spokesperson confirmed her arrest to The Guardian, stating that Vizguerra was "arrested without incident" on Monday and would "remain in ICE custody pending her deportation from the United States." The spokesperson described Vizguerra as “a convicted criminal alien from Mexico who has a final deportation order issued by a federal immigration judge” and stated that she “illegally entered the United States near El Paso, Texas, on December 24, 1997, and has received due process in a U.S. immigration court.” However, on Tuesday, Vizguerra's attorneys filed a writ of habeas corpus with the court, urging ICE to bring Vizguerra before the court to determine if her detention is legal. “Vizguerra has fought her own deportation since 2009 while advocating for immigrant rights, labor protections, and family unity,” they stated in a release from the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition. In conclusion, this particular case draws attention not only because Vizguerra was arrested, but also because it is another concerning case related to activists being repressed for being openly against the policies of the Trump administration. At Pikes Peak Immigration, we continue to fight for immigrant rights. If you have any questions or need advice on immigration matters, don’t hesitate to contact us.

Trump's intention to block judges who fail to protect government decisions.

By 7070266136 • March 28, 2025

Recently, the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, John Roberts, has had public disagreements with President Donald Trump. The conflict arose after District Judge James E. Boasberg issued an order blocking the deportation of Venezuelans under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. In response, Trump called Judge Boasberg a "radical left-wing lunatic" and demanded his removal. This request was rejected by Chief Justice Roberts, who emphasized that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreements with judicial decisions and stressed the importance of the appeals process. This situation highlights the tensions between the executive and judicial branches, especially when the impartiality or integrity of the judicial system is questioned. The confrontation has been seen as an institutional clash, with the Chief Justice openly opposing the political pressures exerted by former President Trump, reaffirming the importance of judicial independence. As reported by The Wall Street Journal, "Roberts' recent remarks are not the first time he has rebuked politicians for undermining the judiciary. In 2018, after Trump attacked what he called an 'Obama judge' for ruling against him in a separate immigration case, Roberts issued a statement defending the courts." "We don’t have Obama judges or Trump judges, Bush judges or Clinton judges," Roberts said at the time. "What we have is an extraordinary group of dedicated judges who make their best efforts to dispense fair justice to those who appear before them." To this, Trump responded: "Sorry, Chief Justice John Roberts, but you do in fact have ‘Obama judges,’ and they have a very different point of view from the people responsible for the safety of our country." As The Wall Street Journal explains in one of its articles: "Threats of impeachment against district judges over preliminary orders issued at the start of litigation are virtually unheard of—and even less so when coming from the president. To remove a judge, the House would have to approve articles of impeachment, and the Senate, after a trial, would need to convict by a two-thirds vote. Although the likelihood of this happening is low, Roberts and other judges have warned that the inflammatory rhetoric of political leaders can lead to the intimidation of judges and even threats to their safety and that of their families." Meanwhile, the court of appeals has not made any decision regarding the removal of Boasberg, and he continues to carry out his duties, such as requesting more information from the government about recent deportation flights. The government continues to evade this request, providing little information while vehemently insisting on Boasberg's removal. If you have any questions about how this could affect your immigration case, please don't hesitate to contact us.