Trump says he will sign executive orders to send troops to border and combat illegal immigration

Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times on Jan 20, 2025

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WASHINGTON — President Trump said during his inaugural address Monday that he will soon sign executive orders that will beef up border security and crack down on illegal immigration.

“First I will declare a national emergency at our southern border,” Trump said. “All illegal entry will be immediately halted and we will begin the process of returning millions and millions of criminal aliens back to the places from which they came.”

Trump said he will send troops to the southern border and designate drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations.

“By invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, I will direct our government to use the full and immense power of federal and state law enforcement to eliminate the presence of all foreign gangs and criminal networks bringing devastating crime to U.S. soil, including our cities and inner cities,” Trump said.

The Alien Enemies Act of 1798 allows the president to arrest, imprison or deport immigrants from a country considered an enemy of the U.S. during wartime. Trump could use it to conduct rapid deportations without the typically required legal processes. But legal experts say courts would likely strike down Trump’s interpretation as beyond what the law allows.

Trump also said he would reinstate his “Remain in Mexico” policy, under which asylum seekers must stay across the border as their asylum cases are being adjudicated.

He said he would end what conservatives refer to as “catch and release,” the practice of releasing migrants from custody while they await conclusions to their cases in immigration court. This process can often take years.

“As commander in chief, I have no higher responsibility than to defend our country from threats and invasions, and that is exactly what I am going to do,” Trump said. “We will do it at a level that nobody has ever seen before.”