The topic of immigration in the U.S. has always been a contentious one. The arrival of the Trump administration in Jan. 2017 marked a very significant shift in policy and rhetoric. Probably the most vexed aspect of this administration has been the aggressive enforcement of immigration laws by immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deportation mandates. These mandates have been the product of heated debates throughout the country revealing both significant support and opposition from many.

It’s easy to argue that these mandates are unnecessary, overbearing and cruel to immigrants just seeking refuge and safety from significant dangers in their own countries. Numerous reports say that a lot of these immigrants aren’t criminals at all, they’re just working-class citizens who want a safer environment for their families and better opportunities. We can see how those who are fleeing danger and can’t wait long to be safe will illegally cross the borders. There may be various situations where these immigrants simply cannot wait out of sake for the safety of their families.

During a news conference on Tue, Jan. 28^th, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt answered some difficult questions involving the new mandates. A reporter asked how many of the 3,500 immigrants arrested since Trump took office have criminal records, Leavitt said, “all of them because they illegally broke our nation’s laws” (www.whitehouse.gov). Some may say that there is no law making it a crime to be an undocumented immigrant in the U.S. Instead, it falls under civil violation. However, improper entry of an alien into the U.S. is in fact a crime. Drugs, smuggling, human trafficking, and more are products of illegal immigration and should be in no way allowed or treated lightly.

Another source directly from the White House website says that illegal border crossings have “plummeted” in January as Trump took office once again. Information from ABC News gathered that “From Jan. 21 through Jan. 31, the number of U.S. Border Patrol apprehensions along the southwest border dropped 85% from the same period in 2024.” The White House website also expresses that “Now, under President Trump, illegal border crossings are at record lows as illegal aliens are promptly arrested and sent home.”

All in all, this heavily disputed topic and how to deal with it may never be totally supported. A lot of the crime and illegal voting in the U.S. has come as a product of loosely controlling the border. If immigrants want to come to the U.S. for better opportunity and not to cause any sort of crime, then do it in the manner which the United States has placed under rules and laws. Illegal voting, drug and human trafficking are huge problems, and are not good things by any means. These sorts of crimes can be traced back to the border and right now, the Trump administration has decided that cracking down and not treating the border lightly is a way to keep these things out.