President-elect Donald Trump is wasting no time signaling a seismic shift in U.S. border and immigration policy, with plans to issue nearly a dozen executive orders on his first day in office. Among the headline-grabbing moves will be deploying U.S. troops to the southern border, dismantling Biden-era immigration policies, and designating international cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs). In classic Trump fashion, the approach is unapologetically bold and intended to make a statement: the border is back in focus, and business as usual is over.
One of the key orders will see construction on the border wall resume immediately, marking the end of what many conservatives viewed as a dereliction of duty under the Biden administration. The executive order will also put an abrupt halt to Biden-era parole policies, including the controversial CBP One app, which facilitated the entry of 30,000 migrants a month from countries like Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. Nearly 1.5 million migrants have entered the U.S. under these policies, a number Trump’s team is eager to reverse. Additionally, the order will reinstate the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), also known as the Remain-in-Mexico policy, which the Biden administration scrapped early in its tenure. Under this policy, asylum seekers must wait in Mexico for their court dates—a stark contrast to the “catch-and-release” approach.
A second executive order will direct U.S. troops to the southern border under U.S. Northern Command, emphasizing the role of the military in protecting national sovereignty. This directive will require the Secretary of Defense to prioritize territorial integrity in military strategy, with federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies working in tandem for maximum operational effectiveness. In other words, the military isn’t just there for show—it’s being tasked with playing an integral role in securing the border, a move sure to draw applause from conservatives and ire from critics of military involvement in domestic affairs.
The third major order takes aim at international cartels, labeling groups like MS-13 and Tren de Aragua as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Specially Designated Global Terrorists. This designation will open the door for aggressive financial and legal actions against cartel members and their networks. The Trump administration has made no secret of its intent to treat these groups as national security threats, invoking the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to disrupt their operations. For an administration laser-focused on combating drug trafficking and violent crime, this is both a practical measure and a symbolic declaration of war on the cartels.
These are just three of the ten border-related executive orders Trump plans to roll out, with announcements expected during his inauguration and subsequent signings at the White House. This flurry of activity serves as a clear message that Trump intends to deliver on his campaign promise to secure the border and crack down on illegal immigration. Following years of what many conservatives see as chaos and mismanagement under the Biden administration, the incoming team appears poised to make sweeping changes. Whether the measures are seen as decisive leadership or draconian overreach will depend largely on which side of the aisle you’re standing—but one thing is certain: the Trump administration is coming in hot, and the border is priority number one.
