We are immigrants, but now we are a nation driven by xenophobia – quite opposite a road to greatness

Excerpt from Wall Street Journal

“Stuart Anderson at the National Foundation for American Policy has looked at the three science Nobels awarded since 2000, and immigrants make up 40% of the U.S. winners. As the nearby chart shows, it’s 45% for physics, 43% for chemistry and 32% for medicine.

Some of our readers will sniff that these are mere anecdotes and say the Trump White House supports legal immigration. Sorry, anecdotes matter because the contributions of individuals matter. And the restrictionists in the White House are trying to shrink even legal immigration too.”

See below

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Immigration was long controlled by states. But by the 1880s, rising immigration (e.g., 5.2 million in the decade) and inconsistent state controls prompted federalization. The Immigration Act of 1882 imposed a 50-cent head tax and barred certain groups (e.g., paupers, convicts), shifting authority to the federal government. New York’s Castle Garden couldn’t handle the volume or new standards, leading to Ellis Island’s opening in 1892 as the first federal immigration station, processing 450,000 immigrants in its first year.

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Good thing my great and great, great grandparents arrived from Ireland, England, Sweden and Germany before the 1880s. One fought in the Civil War. I hope I am legal.

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Anti-immigration – anti-legal immigration- is a strategy of the current administration. It is nationalistic, short-sighted, xenophobic and harmful to our future strength.

Here’s how😱

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First Term (2017–2021): Significant Reductions in Legal Entries

Trump’s first administration reduced legal immigration by an estimated 770,000 people compared to pre-2017 levels, through administrative hurdles and temporary halts. Key actions included:

• Travel Bans (Proclamations 9645, 9657, 9983): Restricted entry from several Muslim-majority countries (e.g., Iran, Libya, Somalia, Yemen) for nationals seeking immigrant or nonimmigrant visas. The Supreme Court upheld a version in Trump v. Hawaii (2018), but it blocked tens of thousands of legal applicants annually.

• Public Charge Rule (2019): Denied green cards to immigrants deemed likely to use public benefits (e.g., Medicaid, SNAP). This led to a 20–30% drop in family-based visa approvals and deterred legal immigrants from accessing services, even after courts partially blocked it.

• Health Insurance Requirement (Executive Order, 2019): Barred visa issuance without proof of health coverage or financial means to obtain it. Though short-lived due to legal challenges, it could have denied up to 400,000 immigrants entry yearly if fully implemented.

• Reduced Refugee Admissions: Cut the annual cap from 110,000 (Obama era) to 15,000 by 2020, stranding vetted refugees abroad and suspending the program for months.

• TPS Terminations: Ended protections for ~400,000 people from countries like El Salvador, Haiti, and Sudan, exposing them to deportation despite prior legal status. Courts delayed some, but many lost work authorization.

• COVID-19 Restrictions: Virtually halted green card and nonimmigrant visa issuances abroad from March 2020, reducing legal entries by 80–90% in affected months—far beyond public health needs.

These policies shifted the Republican stance from opposing illegal immigration to broader restrictions, with legal admissions dropping 18% on average compared to Obama’s second term.

Second Term (2025–Present): Rapid Expansion of Restrictions

In his first 100 days, Trump issued over 30 executive actions—six times the pace of his first term—targeting legal pathways while prioritizing mass deportations. As of October 2025, these have further constricted legal immigration, with proposals for a “100% moratorium” on certain visas.

• Revived and Expanded Travel Bans: A June 2025 proclamation restricts entry from 19 countries (e.g., Afghanistan, Haiti, Somalia) based on vetting and overstay risks, affecting immigrant and nonimmigrant visas. It builds on first-term bans, blocking ~100,000 legal entries projected annually.

• Refugee Program Suspension: Day-One order halts admissions for four months, stranding 15,000+ vetted refugees (including Afghans) and reducing the cap to historic lows.

• End of Humanitarian Parole and TPS/DED: Revokes Biden-era programs for ~1.3 million from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, leaving holders in “legal limbo” and ineligible for work. TPS for other countries (e.g., El Salvador) is being phased out, affecting 500,000+.

• Visa Bonds and Caps: Requires $5,000–$15,000 refundable bonds for tourists from select countries (pilot in Malawi/Zambia, expandable); caps F/J/I visas at four years; adds $250 fees for all nonimmigrant visas.

• Enhanced Vetting and Surveillance: “Extreme vetting” via social media scrutiny, continuous automated monitoring for all noncitizens, and biometrics expansion. USCIS agents now carry firearms and make arrests, turning the agency into an enforcement arm.

• Public Charge Revival and Birthright Citizenship: Reinstates the rule denying benefits access; executive order (blocked by courts) to end citizenship for U.S.-born children of non-permanent residents or undocumented parents.

• Diversity Visa Changes: Requires valid passports at application (previously not needed), reducing entries from low-income countries.

• Immigrant Registration Requirement: Mandates registry for all noncitizens over 14 after 30 days in the U.S., with penalties for non-compliance (e.g., arrest, deportation). This affects even green card holders if proof isn’t carried.

Broader Impacts and Context

These policies have economic ripple effects: Reduced legal immigration shrinks the workforce in sectors like tech, agriculture, and healthcare, potentially costing billions in GDP. Health implications include family separations and deterred benefit use, echoing first-term drops in SNAP/Head Start participation. Public discourse on X (formerly Twitter) reflects polarization: Some users decry Trump as “anti-immigrant” for blocking legal paths, while others support restrictions as pro-American.

While Trump has claimed support for “mass legal immigration” in 2024 statements, his actions consistently prioritize restrictions. Ongoing lawsuits and congressional pushback (e.g., from Democratic states) may limit some implementations, but the administration’s pace suggests further tightening ahead.

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