Donald Trump wasted no time setting the tone for his return to the Oval Office, tackling the border crisis head-on with a flurry of executive orders. On day one, he made it clear that the past four years of border chaos under the Biden administration were not just a failure of policy but a failure of will. Trump’s orders were designed to send a sharp message: the border can be secured, and the chaos Americans have endured was entirely preventable. For his supporters, it was a return to common sense; for his critics, it was a stark reminder of Trump’s unapologetic approach to governance.
One of Trump’s first actions was to declare an emergency at the southern border, reviving construction on the border wall—a project that had been abruptly abandoned by Biden on his first day in office. Construction materials left to rot under the previous administration would now be put back to use, signaling that securing the border is not a political talking point but a necessity. Trump also directed U.S. troops to the border under Northern Command, prioritizing the fight against illegal immigration, human trafficking, and drug smuggling. For those who felt the Biden administration had all but waved the white flag, this was a much-needed display of resolve.
In a move that many conservatives cheered, Trump axed the CBP One app, a digital tool that had turned parole—a policy meant for exceptional cases—into a mass release program for tens of thousands of illegal migrants every month. The app had become a symbol of the Biden administration’s “catch-and-release” philosophy, which critics argued encouraged illegal crossings and overwhelmed border communities. Trump didn’t just shut it down; he canceled all pending appointments, signaling an immediate return to enforcement and accountability. The days of digitally facilitated border chaos were over.
Trump also reinstated the Remain in Mexico policy, a cornerstone of his first term’s border strategy. This policy required migrants claiming asylum to wait in Mexico while their cases were adjudicated, effectively deterring frivolous claims and reducing the incentive for illegal crossings. Under Biden, the policy had been scrapped, leading to an explosion of asylum claims and years-long backlogs in immigration courts. Trump’s reinstatement of the policy was not just a return to order but a statement of intent: fraudulent asylum claims would no longer serve as a ticket into the U.S.
Perhaps the boldest stroke came with Trump’s decision to designate Mexican drug cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations. This move equips federal authorities with powerful tools to freeze assets, impose sanctions, and disrupt cartel operations on both sides of the border. While it remains unclear whether military action will follow, the message was clear: the cartels’ days of operating with impunity are over. For years, the cartels have thrived amidst lax enforcement and political hand-wringing; Trump’s declaration signals a shift toward treating them as the national security threat they are.
For conservatives, Trump’s swift actions were a vindication of what they had argued all along: the border crisis wasn’t a natural disaster; it was a manufactured one. By dismantling effective Trump-era policies, the Biden administration created chaos, then feigned helplessness while communities along the border bore the brunt of the fallout. Trump’s first-day executive orders are not only a corrective to the failures of the past four years but also a promise to Americans that border security is back on the agenda—and this time, it’s here to stay. Whether his critics like it or not, Trump is making sure the border is no longer a political afterthought but a top national priority.
