What Immigration Measures Is Trump Implementing in 2025, and Why Should You Be Worried?
- Santiago Legal
- Jul 25
- 8 min read
Since Donald Trump's return to the presidency of the United States on January 20, 2025, immigration measures have undergone a drastic shift. In just weeks, the new administration has issued a series of executive orders that have dismantled part of the protection system for migrants, asylum seekers, and refugees. This article analyzes ten key measures that raise concerns due to both their legal implications and their humanitarian impact, with an emphasis on their effect on communities like those in Minnesota.
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These are the 10 most dangerous policies implemented under the Trump administration:
Asylum Restriction on the Southern Border (Border with Mexico)
On January 20, 2025, President Trump signed Executive Order 14159, temporarily suspending asylum access at the southern border with Mexico. While not an outright ban, this measure drastically restricts asylum rights for those crossing outside of official ports of entry.
According to the White House, the goal is to curb human smuggling and trafficking networks. However, immigration and human rights lawyers warn that this action could violate key principles of international law, including the principle of non-refoulement guaranteed by the 1951 Refugee Convention.
If you or a loved one is in the asylum process or fears for their safety upon returning to their home country, this order could have direct consequences. At Santiago Legal, we keep you informed, update your legal strategy, and provide professional advice.
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Mandatory detention of migrants
The recent implementation of a mandatory immigration detention policy requires any migrant suspected of violating laws to be immediately imprisoned, without a hearing. This extreme measure eliminates non-prison-based humanitarian programs such as Family Case Management, which had a 99% completion rate without detention.
In Minnesota, immigrant families in cities such as Bloomington , Woodbury , Minneapolis , Saint Paul , Rochester , and Brooklyn Park have reported:
Visits without a court order by immigration authorities
Worrying increase in calls for help and surprise arrests
Confusion about legal rights and risk of family separation
At Santiago Legal , we offer immediate legal assistance in English and Spanish for those facing immigration detention or unauthorized contact with agents. Our services are directed toward those in need of protection, stability, and family reunification, including:
Representation in deportation proceedings (Immigration Court)
Defense in bail hearings and warrantless immigration detentions
Applications for asylum, protection from torture, and cancellation of deportation
Visa processing, including U, T, VAWA, and humanitarian visas
Family petitions, adjustment of status, and permanent residence (“green card”)
Consular process and guidance for reunification from abroad
Applications for citizenship and naturalization
DACA, TPS, and Humanitarian Parole Renewals
The Santiago Legal team works with commitment, empathy, and legal rigor to protect each person's rights. If you or a loved one is facing urgent immigration proceedings, we are here to support you every step of the way.
Militarization of the border and deployment of armed forces
The Armed Forces have been deployed in border operations, authorizing their participation in the detention, surveillance, and transportation of migrants. This measure represents a worrying shift toward the militarization of a civilian issue, violating human rights principles and due process.
Immigrants have been detained at the Guantanamo Bay military base without immediate access to lawyers or fair hearings. Mass deportations are being carried out via military flights, even affecting asylum seekers with active cases.
In this new scenario, it's crucial to know your rights and act immediately. At Santiago Legal Group, we provide urgent legal defense in English and Spanish for those facing:
Arrest without a warrant
Expedited deportation without a hearing
Restrictions on applications for asylum or humanitarian protection
Family separation due to military immigration operations
If you or someone you know is affected by this militarization of immigration, schedule a confidential consultation today. Your freedom and your future can't wait.
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Expedited expulsions nationwide, you could be deported without seeing a judge
The expedited deportation policy has been expanded nationwide, allowing individuals who cannot demonstrate continuous presence in the U.S. for the past two years to be deported without a hearing before an immigration judge.
This measure violates fundamental principles of due process of law, protected by both the United States Constitution and international law treaties, including the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees.
This means that migrants with humanitarian cases, asylum applications, or even those who have lived permanently in the country could be removed in a matter of days, without formal legal defense or judicial review.
Are you at risk? At Santiago Legal, we offer:
Immediate defense against arrests and deportation proceedings
Evaluation of eligibility for asylum, TPS, VAWA, humanitarian visas, and cancellation of removal
Preparation of evidence of continuous presence, family ties and rights defense
Representation in immigration court hearings, bond applications, and urgent responses to removal orders
Not sure if you qualify for legal protection? Schedule your confidential consultation today.
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Termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and humanitarian parole
With the signing of Executive Order 14165 on March 25, 2025, the Trump administration announced the termination of TPS (Temporary Protected Status) and humanitarian parole for nationals of Venezuela (designation 2023), Haiti, Nicaragua, and Cuba. Even individuals with valid work permits (EADs) and legal status face early terminations. If they do not leave the country within 30 days of the announcement, they could become a priority for deportation, according to new ICE guidelines.
Besides:
The 2021 Venezuela TPS designation remains valid only until September 10, 2025.
TPS for Honduras and Nicaragua will officially end on September 8, 2025.
Haiti's TPS was temporarily blocked in court proceedings, but the extension expires in September 2025.
Many employers are using the “Status Change Report” feature in E-Verify to identify employees who have lost their legal status.
All of this creates an environment of high immigration vulnerability, where even people with years of legal presence can face expedited removal, detention, or cancellation of their permits without a hearing.
At Santiago Legal we help you with:
Evaluate legal alternatives (VAWA, asylum, cancellation of removal, adjustment of status)
Prepare defense against TPS, EAD, or parole cancellations
Represent you in court and before bail applications
Protect your rights against possible operations and visits without a court order
Suspension of refugee resettlement (except for white Afrikaners and disadvantaged minorities in South Africa)
On January 20, 2025, President Trump signed the Executive Order “Refugee Admissions Program Realignment,” indefinitely suspending the U.S. Refugee Resettlement Program (USRAP). This measure halted:
Acceptance of new asylum applications
Processing open cases
Previously approved flights and transfers
The Welcome Corps program (an initiative launched in 2023 by the U.S. Department of State that allowed citizens and permanent residents to directly sponsor refugees for resettlement), and other humanitarian avenues
The only active exception is the new admission program for white Afrikaners and “disadvantaged minorities” in South Africa, which has drawn strong criticism for its selective and discriminatory nature, contradicting principles of equity and international protection. Although a court order issued in March 2025 requires the program to be reactivated for refugees with “conditional approval” and “significant reliance interests,” the government has continued to block flights and freeze key funding for humanitarian agencies.
Legal entry routes collapse: CBP One and mobility offices closed
As of January 20, 2025, the United States government suspended the use of the CBP One app, which allowed migrants to schedule asylum appointments at official border ports. Additionally, processing offices in Colombia, Ecuador, Costa Rica, and Guatemala have been closed, leaving thousands of applicants without legal avenues for entry.
The app was replaced in March 2025 by CBP Home, a platform that includes a “self-deportation” feature, encouraging migrants without status to leave the country voluntarily.
This suspension has caused:
Cancellation of more than 900,000 scheduled appointments
Mass revocation of work permits and humanitarian parole for those who entered legally through CBP One
Migrants in Mexico and Central America are being pushed onto irregular routes, increasing the risk of trafficking, violence, and accelerated deportation.
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Return of the program "Stay in Mexico"
In January 2025, the Trump administration reactivated the Remain in Mexico (MPP) program, forcing thousands of non-Mexican asylum seekers to remain in Mexico while their cases are resolved in U.S. immigration courts. This policy has been widely criticized for exposing migrants to violence, kidnappings, and inhumane conditions, without guaranteed access to legal representation or basic services.
Furthermore, "safe third country" agreements are being used to deport asylum seekers to countries such as Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador, even when there are no real guarantees of safety, legal protection, or access to refuge. These transfers violate the principle of non-refoulement, protected by the 1951 Refugee Convention.
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Birthright citizenship under attack: What the new executive order says
On January 20, 2025, President Trump signed an executive order seeking to eliminate the right to birthright citizenship (jus soli) for children born in the United States to undocumented immigrants or those with temporary visas. This measure directly contradicts the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, which guarantees citizenship to all persons born in the United States, regardless of their parents' immigration status.
The order prohibits federal agencies such as the State Department and the Social Security Administration from issuing passports or Social Security numbers to affected children. If implemented, thousands of children would be left without citizenship, deprived of access to basic services such as healthcare, education, or employment. Although several federal judges have temporarily blocked the order, in June 2025, the Supreme Court allowed the administration to move forward with internal guidelines for its implementation, without yet ruling on its constitutionality.
10. The United States Is Disabling the International Humanitarian System
Since February 2025, the U.S. government has frozen or eliminated key funding for key agencies such as the World Health Organization (“WHO”) and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (“UNRWA”), which provides assistance to more than five million Palestinian refugees, impacting medical, food, and education services worldwide. This decision weakens the global response to humanitarian crises and endangers millions of lives, particularly in refugee camps. This decision has led to:
Reduction of medical, food, and educational programs in vulnerable areas
Thousands of humanitarian jobs cut and UNHCR and WFP offices closed
Direct risk to millions of lives in refugee camps and conflict zones
The Trump administration's new immigration policies in 2025 represent an authoritarian and exclusionary shift that not only affects migrants and refugees but also weakens the democratic and humanitarian values on which the international protection system is built. These measures also generate a worrying "domino effect" that other governments could replicate.
At Santiago Legal , we reaffirm our commitment to defending human rights, due process, and fair access to immigration protection. Reliable immigration advice is not an option; it's a necessity.
Why Should You Care About This Today?
These measures not only threaten the future of millions of people, but also undermine the foundations of international law and the constitutional principles of the United States. In times of uncertainty, legal counsel is not an option; it's a necessity.
Do you need reliable immigration advice in the United States? Santiago Legal is here to help you step by step.
Amid current immigration policies, including the cancellation of TPS, the suspension of refugee resettlement, and the reactivation of the "Remain in Mexico" program, having adequate legal representation is more urgent than ever.
At Santiago Legal, we offer personalized legal consultations in English and Spanish for individuals and families facing:
Deportation proceedings, expedited detention, and EOIR hearings (immigration court)
Asylum, TPS, U Visa, VAWA, humanitarian visas, and cancellation of deportation procedures
Applications for permanent residence (“green card”), citizenship, and adjustment of status
Defense against revocation of work permits , parole, or federal benefits
The Santiago Legal team is ready to provide you with evaluations. from anywhere in the United States, with the rigor and empathy you deserve.
Schedule your confidential consultation today . Protect your immigration future with the legal support you need.
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