Impact of immigration restrictions made by the Trump Administration on the "American Dream" and immigrant businesses in the US

We’ve all heard of the American Dream, the belief that regardless of background, race, or socioeconomic status, one can achieve success on the lands of the United States. But is it really as attainable as we often make it seem? There are many hardworking, diligent individuals who migrate to this country yet never even get close to achieving this national ethos, including many of the 11.4 million undocumented immigrants currently in the United States (1). Restrictions put in place under the Trump administration have purposely made it more difficult for immigrants in the United States to pursue their own businesses and achieve the American Dream.

Immigration Restrictions by Trump Admin

The Trump administration took upon major actions on immigration during the relevant term between 2016 and 2020. More specifically, during 2017, the administration conducted its highest amounts of executive orders on the immigration system. To start, the administration reduced refugee admissions to the lowest level since the resettlement program was first created in 1980, while also banning nationals of 8 countries, most majority-Muslim, from entering the United States (2). Additionally, the administration reversed the decline in arrests of undocumented immigrants in the U.S., resulting in an increase from the two previous years under the Obama administration (3). Another action taken by the Trump Admin, one that shook the internet and social media like no other, was the cancellation of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (4). DACA provides work authorization and temporary relief from deportation to approximately 690,000 unauthorized immigrants brought to the United States as children (5). There’s a long list of further restrictions and executive orders enacted by the administration that would take days to sit here and name.

The “Trump Effect”

Often referred to as the “Trump Effect,” the restrictions put in place under the Trump administration affected the lives of millions of immigrants, both authorized and unauthorized, in the United States. Immigrant communities now try to draw less attention to themselves from the government out of fear. Consequently, there has been a decline in the last 5 years of applications for public health benefits, which both immigrants and their children are entitled to (6). The “Trump Effect” has caused immigrants living in the United States to no longer feel safe asking for basic necessities from the government that's supposed to be enforcing its national ethos of “freedom” and “prosperity.” As a result, many undocumented immigrants entered Canada from the United States to seek asylum. Between Trump’s entry into office and the end of 2017, more than 20,000 asylum seekers were apprehended between ports of entry in the United States to Canada (7). The creation of fear by the “Trump Effect” has also resulted in a decrease in international applicants to higher education in the United States, with the largest decline coming from students in Middle-Eastern countries.

The “Trump Effect” has created an anxiety that harms immigrant communities in the United States every day. It is not possible to say we are a country of freedom and opportunity for success when we are barely giving the people that help make up this country the basic rights they deserve and the tools to enable them into the more productive members of society.

About 200,000 DACA Recipients, more than one third of the DACA population, take on essential roles in fighting the global pandemic through holding jobs in healthcare, agriculture, and more (8). We are driving away the foundation of this country that has and continues to help it succeed in several aspects of society. We are driving away the local businesses that people live off of, the workers that are helping to bring our country back to a safe standard, and the people that just want to live and provide better lives.  

Moving Forward

The Trump Administration made more than 400 immigration policy changes. Current United States President Joe Biden can undo many of the executive actions, such as restoring the amount of refugees admitted to the government resettlement program and preventing further construction on the border wall (9). However, undoing these actions may not undo all the damage they have created.

The main priority right now should be trying to get the immigration system back to where it was before Trump took office in 2016. Business leaders and employers must make sure their immigrant workforce feel protected through providing sufficient resources. Policy makers must advocate for the immigrant communities that lack political voices. The public must actively oppose policies and restrictions that fail to acknowledge the immense contribution of immigrant communities to our everyday lives. The real work comes once we reach this point and our job is no longer to restore the immigrant system to where it was before, but to make it even better than that. We must take action to ensure that current immigrants and those looking to come help recover our society and economy, are able to thrive and contribute fully.

Works Cited

1. “Profile of the Unauthorized Population: United States.” Migration Policy Institution, 2019, https://www.migrationpolicy.org/data/unauthorized-immigrant-population/state/US%0D.
2. CMS “President Trump's Executive Orders on Immigration and Refugees.” The Center for Migration Studies of New York (CMS), 17 Feb. 2021, https://cmsny.org/trumps-executive-orders-immigration-refugees/.
3. Pierce, Sarah, and Andrew Selee. “Immigration under Trump: A Review of Policy Shifts in the Year since the Election.” Migration Policy Institute, Dec. 2017, https://www.migrationpolicy.org/research/immigration-under-trump-review-policy-shifts.
4. Pierce, Sarah, and Andrew Selee. “Immigration under Trump: A Review of Policy Shifts in the Year since the Election.” Migration Policy Institute, Dec. 2017, https://www.migrationpolicy.org/research/immigration-under-trump-review-policy-shifts.
5. Pierce, Sarah, and Andrew Selee. “Immigration under Trump: A Review of Policy Shifts in the Year since the Election.” Migration Policy Institute, Dec. 2017, https://www.migrationpolicy.org/research/immigration-under-trump-review-policy-shifts.
6. Bolter, Jessica, and Sarah Pierce. “U.S. Immigration Policy under Trump: Deep Changes and Lasting Impacts.” Migration Policy Institute, July 2018, https://www.migrationpolicy.org/research/us-immigration-policy-trump-deep-changes-impacts.
7. Bolter, Jessica, and Sarah Pierce. “U.S. Immigration Policy under Trump: Deep Changes and Lasting Impacts.” Migration Policy Institute, July 2018, https://www.migrationpolicy.org/research/us-immigration-policy-trump-deep-changes-impacts.
8. “The Impact of Trump's Immigration Agenda.” FWD.us, 29 Sept. 2020, https://www.fwd.us/news/the-impact-of-trumps-immigration-agenda/.
9. Fox, Ben. “Trump Leaves Mark on Immigration Policy, Some of It Lasting.” AP NEWS, Associated Press, 30 Dec. 2020, https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-politics-immigration-united-states-a5bfcbea280a468b431a02e82c15a150.