Immigration

Home Immigration

Trump Signals Support For Legal Protections For Longtime Migrant Workers

2
Donald Trump via Gage Skidmore Flickr

DES MOINES, Iowa — Speaking at the Iowa State Fairgrounds hours before Independence Day, President Donald Trump said he is drafting legislation to shield long-serving farm and hospitality workers from immigration enforcement actions.

“We’re working on legislation right now,” Trump told the crowd. “Farmers, look, they know better. They work with them for years.”

He referenced cases where immigrant workers had been employed for over a decade before being removed through federal action.

“You had cases… where people have worked for a farm for 14, 15 years, and they get thrown out pretty viciously. And we can’t do it,” Trump said.

The remarks appear to address the impact of immigration raids, such as those reported at California farms, where labor shortages have followed large-scale enforcement. A significant portion of that workforce is made up of illegal immigrants.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, who was present on stage, had initially raised the issue.

After weeks of back-and-forth, Trump ultimately echoed her stance on Thursday night — arguing that those in agriculture and hospitality deserve more authority over who they employ. “We’re going to work with them, and we’re going to work very strong and smart,” he said. “We’re going to put you in charge. We’re going to make you responsible. And I think that’s going to make a lot of people happy.”

Acknowledging that the proposal may not sit well with his party’s immigration hardliners, Trump added: “radical right people, who I also happen to like a lot, they may not be quite as happy. But they’ll understand, won’t they?”

He then turned to Rollins and said, “Do you think they’ll understand that you’re the one that brought this whole situation up?”

The comments signal a more pragmatic tone on immigration from the president, who has long emphasized enforcement but now appears open to reforms aimed at stabilizing the labor force in key sectors.

Former Border Patrol Chief Exploring 2028 White House Run

Former U.S. Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino has launched an exploratory committee as he considers a potential run for president in 2028, according to a report from NewsNation.

Bovino, who retired from the Border Patrol in March after nearly three decades of service, confirmed to NewsNation that his effort is currently exploratory but said he could move forward with a formal campaign if conditions align.

The exploratory committee has launched the website Bovino2028.com as part of the effort.

During President Donald Trump’s administration, Bovino emerged as one of the most visible federal officials involved in immigration enforcement operations. While in charge, he coordinated large-scale enforcement actions in major cities and became a prominent advocate for stronger border security measures and interior immigration enforcement.

Throughout his career, Bovino held leadership roles along the southern border and was widely recognized within Customs and Border Protection for his operational experience. Supporters credit him with helping oversee some of the most aggressive immigration enforcement initiatives in recent years, while also serving as a key public spokesman for border security efforts.

According to The Daily Beast, Bovino stated that if elected president, he would take a hands-on approach to immigration enforcement and deportation operations.

Since leaving government service, Bovino has remained active on social media, where he continues to advocate for expanded immigration enforcement and mass deportation policies. He has also been critical of what he views as a less aggressive approach by some current administration officials.

Bovino has publicly criticized Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, White House border czar Tom Homan, and other administration figures over immigration policy and enforcement decisions. He argues that the federal government should pursue stronger action to address illegal immigration and improve border security.

His criticisms have drawn attention because they come from a former senior Border Patrol official who played a prominent role in implementing immigration enforcement operations during Trump’s second administration.

While Bovino has not formally entered the presidential race, the launch of an exploratory committee marks the first significant step toward a potential White House campaign. His prospective candidacy would likely center on border security, immigration enforcement, public safety, and law-and-order policies—issues that have defined much of his career in federal law enforcement.

No official campaign announcement has been made, and Bovino has not provided a timeline for a final decision on whether he will seek the Republican nomination in 2028.

Kilmar Abrego Garcia Taken Into Custody By ICE

1
Arrest image via Pixabay

Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the immigrant deported to El Salvador who became a political flashpoint for the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, was detained again on Monday

Speaking to reporters outside the ICE Field Office in Baltimore after Abrego Garcia was detained, his lawyer, Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, said ICE officials had declined to tell them where they were detaining Abrego Garcia prior to his removal, or tell them why they were arresting him. 

“As of the last five minutes, Mr. Abrego Garcia has filed a new lawsuit in the federal district court for the District of Maryland challenging his confinement and challenging his deportation to Uganda, or to any other country unless and until he’s had a fair trial— as in, an immigration court, as well as his full appeal rights,,” Sandoval-Moshenberg sad.

The habeas petition, filed in the U.S. District Court of Maryland, was assigned to U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis, who has presided since March over his civil case.

Abrego Garcia, who fled El Salvador as a teenager and lived in Maryland, addressed supporters before entering his appointment.

“My name is Kilmar Abrego Garcia, and I want you to remember this, remember that I am free and I was able to be reunited with my family,” he said. “This was a miracle. Thank you to God and thank you to the community. I want to thank each and every one of you who marched, lift your voices, never stop praying, and continue to fight in my name.”

Abrego Garcia’s legal fight for months has dominated U.S. headlines, after he was deported by the Trump administration to El Salvador in violation of a 2019 court order. He faces a possible second deportation, this time to Uganda.

Shortly before his arrival Monday morning, immigration advocates, faith leaders, and other community members massed outside the field office at sunrise for a vigil, organized by two immigration advocacy groups.

The Trump administration returned him to the U.S. months after sending him to El Salvador, under orders from a federal judge and from the Supreme Court.

He was arrested upon return to the U.S. on human smuggling charges stemming from a 2022 traffic stop in Tennesee. He remained in federal detention until Friday, when he was released from U.S. custody and ordered to return to Maryland, where a judge said he could remain under electronic surveillance and under ICE supervision while awaiting trial.

ICE officials notified Abrego Garcia’s attorneys shortly after his release on Friday that they planned to deport him to Uganda.

The notice, sent by ICE’s Office of the Principal Legal Adviser, said it was intended to “serve as notice that DHS may remove your client, Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, to Uganda no earlier than 72 hours from now (absent weekends).”

Trump’s border czar Tom Homan told Fox News in an interview Sunday night that Abrego Garcia was “absolutely” going to be deported from the U.S, and said Uganda is “on the table” as the third country of removal. 

“We have an agreement with them. It’s on a table, absolutely,” Homan said in an interview on “The Big Weekend Show” Sunday evening.

“He is absolutely going to be deported,” Homan reiterated. 

For now, he said, Abrego Garcia “can enjoy the little time he has with his family. And for the person who says we’re not going to separate family, his family can go with him, because he’s leaving.”

Trump’s Visa Crackdown Tops 175,000 as State Department Targets Crime, Fraud and Security Threats

0
By United States Government - https://x.com/PressSec/status/1882759560613527770, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=159931598

WASHINGTON — The State Department has revoked more than 175,000 U.S. visas since President Donald Trump returned to office, according to a new government tally that underscores the rapid expansion of his administration’s immigration-enforcement campaign.

The department said Monday that the visas belonged to foreign nationals who violated visa terms, committed crimes, called for violence against Americans, engaged in fraud, abused the immigration system or posed national-security concerns.

“A U.S. visa is a privilege, not a right,” the department said in its Aug. 10 fact sheet, adding that officials would continue to identify and investigate foreign nationals believed to threaten public safety.

According to the State Department, most of the revocations followed encounters with law enforcement. The leading categories involved assault, driving under the influence, theft and drug offenses. Officials also cited reckless driving, sexual assault, child abuse, fraud and embezzlement among the reasons visas were canceled.

The department highlighted several serious cases, including one foreign national charged with felony rape and sexual battery involving a mentally disabled victim, and another charged with felony kidnapping, human trafficking and the sexual exploitation of a minor. The government did not identify the individuals or say how those criminal cases were ultimately resolved.

The new tally also includes more than 100 visas revoked by a U.S. embassy in North Africa from parents accused of using so-called birth tourism to obtain American citizenship for children born in the United States, according to the department.

Fox News, which first reported the new figure, said the effort is being carried out under Secretary of State Marco Rubio as part of the administration’s broader “America First” approach to immigration and public safety.

Revocations climbed by at least 75,000 in seven months

The latest number marks a sharp increase from the more than 100,000 revocations the department reported in January. At that point, the total included roughly 8,000 student visas and 2,500 specialized visas involving people who had encounters with U.S. law enforcement, according to Reuters reporting published by Al-Monitor.

That means the administration says it revoked at least 75,000 additional visas in roughly seven months.

In January, State Department deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott said the first 100,000 revocations represented a 150% increase over 2024. He attributed the leading causes at that stage to visa overstays, DUI offenses, assault and theft. Pigott also said the department had created a Continuous Vetting Center to flag visa holders who may no longer qualify to remain in good standing.

Monday’s announcement did not provide a new breakdown by visa category or nationality. It also did not specify how many cases involved arrests or charges rather than convictions—a distinction that earlier reporting raised when the administration disclosed thousands of canceled student visas.

Trump: Foreign visitors who cause trouble are not welcome

Trump has consistently cast tougher visa screening as a public-safety and national-security measure.

“We want to have great students here. We just don’t want students that are causing trouble,” Trump said in 2025 remarks later included in a White House fact sheet on foreign student visas.

In a December 2025 proclamation, Trump wrote that the United States must use “extreme vigilance” during visa and immigration screening to stop foreign nationals who intend to harm Americans or threaten the country’s interests.

The push traces back to a Jan. 20, 2025 executive order directing federal agencies to strengthen screening for people seeking admission to the United States and to continue vetting certain foreign nationals already in the country.

The State Department’s own guidance notes that a visa allows a foreign citizen to travel to a U.S. port of entry and request admission; it does not guarantee entry. Revoking one therefore removes the person’s ability to use that visa for future travel, although any separate question involving immigration status or removal from the country can require additional government action.

With the administration now claiming more than 175,000 revocations, Monday’s announcement makes clear that Trump and Rubio intend to keep visa enforcement at the center of the president’s second-term immigration agenda.

Judge Rebuked Twice By Supreme Court Deals New Blow To Trump Immigration Agenda

A federal judge already twice rebuked by the Supreme Court is back at it—this time blocking the Trump administration from ending legal protections for thousands of Ethiopian migrants.

Judge Brian Murphy, a Biden appointee in Massachusetts, temporarily halted the administration’s plan to strip temporary protected status (TPS) from more than 5,000 Ethiopians—a move that would have made them deportable within 60 days.

Murphy said the Department of Homeland Security didn’t follow the law when it pulled the plug on the program.

That ruling lands right in the middle of the administration’s broader push to shrink TPS and tighten immigration enforcement.

But it also lands on a judge with a track record.

Murphy has repeatedly tried to block Trump-era deportation policies—especially efforts to send migrants to third countries. The Supreme Court has stepped in twice to reverse him, even issuing a rare 7–2 clarification saying he ignored its orders. An appeals court also shut down one of his more recent rulings just last month.

Critics say this is more of the same.

“This rogue judge lacks the subject matter jurisdiction to issue this order,” Sen. Eric Schmitt said. “The assault on the rule of law continues.”

Legal analyst Jonathan Turley piled on, warning that “this system cannot function with such rogue operators at the trial level.”

Iowa Solicitor General Eric Wessan pointed to what he sees as a fundamental problem: the law itself.

“One big problem for Murphy is the statute: It explains TPS determinations aren’t reviewable. Another is the Supreme Court, which has stopped similar orders twice,” Wessan said. “He finds neither statute nor SCOTUS stops him. I’m unconvinced.”

Murphy, for his part, insists he’s not defying the high court. He noted that the Supreme Court hasn’t fully explained its recent TPS-related rulings—and hasn’t stepped in on every similar case.

“There is no reason to assume” the justices have settled the issue, he wrote.

The lawsuit behind the ruling claims the administration’s TPS rollback isn’t just procedural—it’s discriminatory. Lawyers for the plaintiffs argue the policy is aimed at reducing non-white immigration, writing that the effort targets “the nationals of majority Black countries” in particular.

The Justice Department is expected to appeal, setting up yet another round in a growing legal fight between the Trump administration and a judge who keeps standing in its way.

Acting ICE Director Resigns

Indian Affairs Committee Hearings to examine Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act successes and opportunities at the Department of the Interior and the Indian Health Service, in Washington, DC on September 17, 2025. (Official U.S. Senate photo by Ryan Donnell)

Todd Lyons, the acting head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, is stepping down after a turbulent tenure defined by record deportations, internal tensions, and mounting political pressure.

Lyons submitted his resignation Thursday to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, saying he plans to remain in the role through May to help with the transition. His departure comes as Mullin takes over the department following Kristi Noem’s exit.

“Thanks to his leadership, American communities are safer,” Mullin said in a statement. “We wish him luck on his next opportunity in the private sector.”

No official reason was given for Lyons’ resignation, capping a 20-year career at the agency he joined in 2007. He was appointed to lead ICE in March of last year, replacing Caleb Vitello, and quickly became a central figure in President Donald Trump’s aggressive deportation push.

During his tenure, ICE carried out roughly 584,000 removals, a record pace that drew praise from allies and scrutiny from critics. Lyons also faced backlash over high-profile controversies, including the fatal shooting of Renee Good during Operation Metro Surge. At a January congressional hearing, Lyons declined to apologize to Good’s family.

A month later, he said two ICE officers involved in a separate January shooting of a Venezuelan immigrant had made “untruthful statements” under oath. Both officers were placed under investigation by the Justice Department.

Behind the scenes, Lyons navigated reported divisions within the Department of Homeland Security. He was closely aligned with Border Czar Tom Homan on deportation strategy, while other officials, including Noem and former Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino, took different approaches. The split fueled ongoing reports of internal friction.

Homan defended Lyons’ record on Thursday, telling NBC that under his leadership, “ICE achieved a record number of removals in the first year of this Administration, despite unprecedented challenges.”

“I commend him for a distinguished law enforcement career and the countless contributions he has made to protect our country and advance its interests,” Homan added.

Lyons also faced intense pressure from the White House, where Trump and deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller pushed for daily deportation targets in the thousands.

“Todd is a phenomenal patriot and dedicated leader who has been at the center of President Trump’s historic efforts to secure our homeland and reverse the Democrats’ sinister border invasion,” Miller said.

The strain appeared to take a toll. Lyons was hospitalized at least twice in recent months, and current and former officials described him as “visibly upset and struggling” under the weight of the administration’s demands.

His tenure also drew legal challenges. In January, a federal judge ordered Lyons to appear in court to explain why ICE repeatedly failed to carry out court-ordered bond hearings for detained immigrants.

Now, as Lyons prepares to step down, ICE faces another leadership transition at a time when immigration enforcement remains one of the administration’s most politically charged priorities.

Florida Attorney General Held In Contempt After Defending Trump Immigration Agenda

3

A federal judge has found that Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier was in civil contempt of court over her ruling to pause a new state law making it a crime for people living in the U.S. illegally to enter the state.

U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams ordered on April 29 that Uthmeier show cause on “why he should not be held in contempt or sanctioned” for violating a temporary restraining order (TRO) from the court, though Williams ultimately decided he was unable to convince her otherwise.

“If being held in contempt is what it costs to defend the rule of law and stand firmly behind President Trump’s agenda on illegal immigration, so be it,” Uthmeier said Tuesday in a post on X.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation into law in February that made it a misdemeanor for illegal immigrants to enter the state as part of President Donald Trump’s push to crack down on illegal immigration.

But on April 4, Williams issued a 14-day TRO in response to the law, following a lawsuit filed by the Florida Immigrant Coalition and other groups. She then extended the TRO another 11 days after learning the Florida Highway Patrol had arrested over a dozen people, including a U.S. citizen.

The court said on April 18 that Florida law enforcement officers were bound by the TRO, preventing them from enforcing the criminal immigration law.

The court also ordered the attorney general to provide notice to all law enforcement officers, which Uthmeier initially complied with.

On April 23, he sent a follow-up letter telling the law enforcement community that “no judicial order…properly restrains you from” enforcing the immigration law, adding that “no lawful, legitimate order currently impedes your agencies from continuing to enforce” the statute.

As a result, the court required Uthmeier to show cause as to why he should not be held in contempt for violating the TRO.

Following his response, the court opined that litigants cannot change the meaning of words as it suits them, ruling that Uthmeier was in contempt of the court’s April 18 order to provide the TRO to law enforcement officers regarding the enforcement of the immigration law.

As such, the court ordered Uthmeier to file bi-weekly reports detailing arrests, detentions or law enforcement actions when it comes to the immigration law prohibiting undocumented immigrants from entering the state of Florida, with the first being filed by July 1.

Trump Threatens To Deport Elon Musk By Using DOGE

2
UK Government, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Billionaire Elon Musk is on thin ice…

Speaking with reporters ahead of a flight to Florida on Tuesday, the president was asked about whether he would consider deporting the South African mogul.

“We’ll have to take a look,” Trump said. “We might have to put DOGE on Elon. You know what DOGE is? DOGE is the monster that might have to go back and eat Elon! Wouldn’t that be terrible?”

Watch:

After a brief ceasefire between the president and his former DOGE lieutenant, the war of words has ratcheted up again over the past 24 hours — with Musk revving up his criticism of the Trump-backed “Big, Beautiful” budget bill. Musk, in a Monday post on X, denounced the legislation and floated the idea of forming a new political party. (RELATED: White House Responds After Elon Musk Calls Trump Megabill A ‘Disgusting Abomination’)

“It is obvious with the insane spending of this bill, which increases the debt ceiling by a record FIVE TRILLION DOLLARS that we live in a one-party country – the PORKY PIG PARTY!!” Musk wrote. “Time for a new political party that actually cares about the people.”

Musk followed his post up with another, targeting the House Freedom Caucus, whose members mostly voted for the House version of the bill. “How can you call yourself the Freedom Caucus if you vote for a DEBT SLAVERY bill with the biggest debt ceiling increase in history?” Musk asked, tagging Reps. Chip Roy (R-Texas) and Andy Harris (R-MD).

“Every member of Congress who campaigned on reducing government spending and then immediately voted for the biggest debt increase in history should hang their head in shame! And they will lose their primary next year if it is the last thing I do on this Earth,” Musk later added, making a clear threat to help primary challengers to incumbent Republicans.

Trump, in his Monday night response on Truth Social, threatened Musk’s government subsidies.

“Elon Musk knew, long before he so strongly Endorsed me for President, that I was strongly against the EV Mandate. It is ridiculous, and was always a major part of my campaign. Electric cars are fine, but not everyone should be forced to own one,” Trump wrote. “Elon may get more subsidy than any human being in history, by far, and without subsidies, Elon would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa. No more Rocket launches, Satellites, or Electric Car Production, and our Country would save a FORTUNE. Perhaps we should have DOGE take a good, hard, look at this? BIG MONEY TO BE SAVED!!!”

Trump renewed that threat Tuesday morning outside the White House.

“He’s upset that he’s losing his E.V. Mandate, and he’s very upset about things,” Trump said. “But you know, he could lose a lot more than that, I can tell you right now. Hey, Elon can lose a lot more than that!”

Supreme Court Rules Trump May Rescind Biden-era Immigration Policy

1
Duncan Lock, Dflock, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

The Supreme Court handed the Trump administration a significant immigration win on Friday…

The Supreme Court on Friday stayed a lower court order that blocked the Trump administration from deporting roughly 500,000 migrants from Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. 

Fox News reports:

The Supreme Court decision stays, for now, a lower court ruling that halted Trump’s plans to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) protections for some migrants living in the U.S., which allows individuals to live and work in the U.S. legally if they cannot work safely in their home country due to a disaster, armed conflict or other “extraordinary and temporary conditions.” 

Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented.

U.S. Solicitor General John Sauer asked justices earlier this month to allow the administration to proceed with its decision to revoke the status for the migrants, accusing U.S. District Judge Edward Chen of improperly intruding on the executive branch’s authority over immigration policy.

“The district court’s reasoning is untenable,” Sauer told the high court, adding that the program “implicates particularly discretionary, sensitive, and foreign-policy-laden judgments of the Executive Branch regarding immigration policy.”

This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

Supreme Court Allows Trump Admin To Move Ahead With Ending Protected Status For Some Migrants

1
Duncan Lock, Dflock, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

On Monday, the Supreme Court lifted an injunction against the Trump administration, allowing it to move ahead with its plans to end protections for hundreds of thousands of migrants in the U.S.

The decision is a victory for the Trump administration, allowing it to move forward with its plans to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) protections for hundreds of thousands of people who came to the U.S. through parole processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans. 

The TPS program provides legal status and work permits for these individuals.

This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.