US President Donald Trump’s latest immigration control offensive, triggered by the shooting of two National Guard members, has significantly tightened limits on all legal and illegal ways for foreigners to enter the US.
The action caused fear e confusion widespread among immigrants who do not know what will happen to their ongoing cases.
His campaign of mass deportations has drawn attention for his harsh tactics in detaining undocumented immigrants across the country.
But the government’s constant insistence on implementing gradual changes to the insurance system has also been disruptive, disrupting a process that was already arduous for millions of people.
Below, understand the actions taken by the United States to prevent immigration:
1 – Border practically closed
For much of US President Joe Biden’s first three years, the southern border was overwhelmed by the number of people, driven by a combination of the Covid-19 pandemic, natural disasters and deteriorating economic conditions in Latin America.
In the final year of his term, the Biden administration implemented restrictions on the U.S.-Mexico border that Department of Homeland Security officials said reduced irregular crossings.
But stemming the flow of people, which Trump repeatedly called an “invasion,” remained a central tenet of his victorious campaign.
And, just hours after assuming his second term, his administration took measures that, in practice, sought to close access to asylum on the southern border.
Last month, the Supreme Court announced it would review Trump’s policy rejecting asylum seekers at the border.
The Republican signed a decree declaring an emergency on the border, which led to the sending of more military personnel to help with logistical and bureaucratic tasks and finalize the construction of the border wallTrump’s old promise.
In March, U.S. Customs and Border Protection awarded the first wall construction contract of Trump’s second term, more than $70 million to build about 7 miles of barrier in South Texas.
The Trump administration says these actions contributed to a significant drop in crossings, claiming a substantial reduction in migrant crossings in the first 100 days of the administration.
2 – Asylum cases stalled
Following the Washington shooting of National Guard members last week, the Trump administration announced it would suspend all asylum decisions until “we can ensure that every alien is investigated and vetted to the fullest extent possible.”
According to Syracuse University’s Transactional Records Access Center, at the end of August 2025 there were more than 2.2 million immigrants awaiting asylum decisions or hearings.
The Department of Homeland Security also said it is reviewing all asylum decisions issued during the Biden administration. The suspension means that applicants who have already waited years now face an even more uncertain future.
3 – TPS canceled for several countries
In 1990, Congress created the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program for people fleeing countries affected by natural disasters, war, or conditions that preclude return. The program guaranteed the right to live and work in the USA for a renewable period.
As of the end of March, 17 countries were covered by TPS, representing about 1.3 million foreign nationals living in the US.
But the Trump administration has sought to roll back these protections.
In February, the Department of Homeland Security announced that it would seek to end TPS for citizens of Haiti, who have been protected since the devastating 2010 earthquake. A federal judge blocked the move, citing failure to comply with legal procedures.
The administration has also taken steps to terminate or roll back TPS from Venezuela, Afghanistan, Cameroon, Nepal, Honduras, Nicaragua e Syria.
In November, it also decided to end the TPS for South Sudan and Myanmar, both of which are in civil war.
As of December, 12 countries were still under the program, although several protections expire next year pending legal action.
4 – Refugee admissions suspended, except for white South Africans
In October, the Trump administration announced it would limit the number of refugees admitted to the U.S. to 7,500 per year, a minuscule number for a country historically seen as a refuge for millions of people fleeing war, poverty and persecution, and which has traditionally maintained programs with bipartisan support.
In 2024, the US admitted just over 100,000 refugees, mainly from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Afghanistan, Venezuela and Syria.
The main group Trump is welcoming are white South Africans.
The president and allies, including former advisor and South African billionaire Elon Musk, say this group faces persecution, racism, threats and murders in their country.
Trump and Musk allege that white South Africans are discriminated against by land reform policies aimed at repairing the legacy of apartheid — a system under which the non-white population was expelled from their land to benefit white people.
Black South Africans, who make up more than 80% of the population, only own about 4% of private land.
The South African government has firmly rejected the allegations.
5 – Green cards under investigation
The Washington shooting also prompted the Trump administration to announce “a rigorous and complete reevaluation of every foreign national green card from every country of interest.”
Green card holders have the right to live and work permanently in the country, but they do not have benefits such as voting or having a US passport.
Asked which countries were of concern, the Trump administration pointed to a June presidential proclamation naming 19 countries, including Cuba, Laos, Venezuela, Haiti and Afghanistan.
Reviewing the status of all these residents can be a monumental task, involving tens of thousands of people. There is no deadline for completion.
6 – Restricted work visas
In September, the administration attempted to impose restrictions on certain work visas, claiming they harm American workers.
Trump signed an executive order imposing a fee of US$100,000 to apply for the H-1B visa, commonly used by the technology sector. Annually, about 65,000 H-1B visas are granted, and demand exceeds supply.
In October, the government announced changes, such as restricting the definition of “specialized occupation”, increasing supervision in workplaces and reforming salary methodology.
One sector that Trump appears hesitant to restrict is agriculture, which is highly dependent on immigrant labor, both legal and undocumented.
Despite the harsh rhetoric, the administration has sought to reassure the industry, and the Republican’s tone on undocumented farm workers has been softer.
7 – Reduced student visas
The administration awarded less to international students than in previous years.
This year, it also targeted the visas of students already present in the country, with a special focus on those who participated in university protests against Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
The State Department has revoked about 6,000 student visas, and the restrictive stance on what they can post on social media has discouraged new applicants.
Reasons for revocations range from accusations of supporting terrorism to minor infractions committed years earlier.
Earlier this year, the government also turned its attention to Chinese students, aggressively revoking their visas before partially reversing the decision.
In an interview with Fox News last month, Trump said he considers it “good” for students from “outside countries” to attend US universities — and praised China while criticizing France, a traditional American ally.
