The current administration has placed a laser focus on immigration issues. This page will contain a running list of Executive Orders (EO), enforcements, actions taken, current updates and the issues they present for our students and families.

Birthright Citizenship

President Donald Trump issued an Executive Order (EO) to end birthright citizenship, the right of every child born in the US to be an American citizen, which has long been understood as guaranteed in the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution.

This EO describes two categories in which US citizenship would be denied:

1. When that person’s mother was unlawfully present in the United States and the father was not a United States citizen or lawful permanent resident at the time of said person’s birth, or 
2. When that person’s mother’s presence in the United States at the time of said person’s birth was lawful but temporary (such as, but not limited to, visiting the United States under the auspices of the Visa Waiver Program or visiting on a student, work, or tourist visa) and the father was not a United States citizen or lawful permanent resident at the time of said person’s birth.

In those instances, the EO directs the federal government to stop issuing documents recognizing citizenship starting on February 19, 2025.

More than 20 states and jurisdictions immediately sued to halt implementation of this EO, which was quickly paused by US District Judge John Coughenour, who referred to the EO as “blatantly unconstitutional.” Experts expect a long legal battle that may ultimately be decided by the US Supreme Court.

APRIL 2025 UPDATE: The US Supreme Court has decided to hear this case in the next month.

Sensitive/Safe Spaces

In January, the Trump Administration also rescinded a Biden-era policy that protects certain spaces, including schools, hospitals, and churches, from immigration enforcement. The rescission undermines the safety of students and families, and will have a chilling effect for immigrant communities, who may now be more hesitant to access healthcare, education, and other important services.

The National Immigration Law Center (NILC) has developed a fact sheet and set of recommendations for how to prepare that include developing a written response plan, designating someone to review warrants, training staff and volunteers on how to respond, and documenting all interactions with immigration enforcement.

Barring Asylum for People at the Southern Border

President Trump issued an EO in January 2025 that declared a national emergency on the southern border and shut down the systems allowing migrants to seek asylum upon entering the US. The CBP One app, a mobile app that enabled migrants seeking asylum to book appointments to appear at eight ports of entry along the southern border, has been taken down. “Existing appointments have been canceled,” according to US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), standing thousands of people, many of whom have been waiting for their appointments for many months.

Halting Refugee Program Indefinitely

Another EO issued in February 2025 by President Trump suspended the refugee program, halting the resettlement of thousands of people, including 10,000 who had their flights booked and had been cleared for entry to the United States.

Required Registration for Undocumented Individuals

On April 11, a judge allowed the Trump Administration to move forward with a requirement that all people in the United States without documentation must register with the federal government. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it was mandating this process on February 25. On March 12, DHS published an Interim Final Rule describing the Alien Registration Form and Evidence of Registration process. Registration is required for anyone age 14 and older, and parents must register children younger than 14. People registering must also get fingerprinted and supply their address. This process originated in the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, but has not recently been implemented.

Not completing the required registration process is technically considered a crime. Many immigrants are already considered registered if they have an Alien Registration card, work permits, advance parole, or entered the country with a visa. People in these categories would not need to register again. 

Organizations leading work in this area such as The Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, The Dream.US, Immigrants Rising, and the NILC have posted resources for those in this situation. It is strongly encouraged that these websites be reviewed, and your organization utilize the information and resources available as you work with students and families impacted. The consensus message is that people should seek legal advice before taking any action to register.

Revoking Student Visas

In early April 2025, reports began appearing that college students in the United States with F-1 or J-1 visas were receiving notifications of a sudden or unexpected change in their Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) listing.  These notifications told the students to leave the country immediately.

Initially, Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated that he had revoked approximately 300 visas. Since then, many organizations are following these occurrences and estimate that over 1,500 students at more than 250 colleges have received these notices. This action supports President Trump’s  efforts to remove international students who engage in political activism or disrupt campus operations.

Several lawsuits have been filed by students. Colleges have not received any formal notifications about these students. Some students identified did participate in campus protests while others had only minor traffic violations. Confusion currently reigns for all involved.

Read More:

• DHS Implements Registration Requirement for Immigrants
• Breaking Down Trump’s Executive Orders