U.S. Immigration policies and their impacts

Last updated: June 2025

Donald Trump has made cracking down on illegal immigration a key part of his political identity. In his second term, his administration has likened the wave of migrants entering the U.S. to an invasion and is attempting to use an 18th century wartime law to suspend immigrants’ constitutional right to due process to expedite their removal from the country. The administration has also suspended visas to foreign students in the U.S.-- in some cases detaining and attempting to remove students based on their political views. President Trump is also trying to overturn the Constitutional guarantee to birthright citizenship. In June 2025, the president ordered federal troops into Los Angeles, over the objections of state and local officials, in a response to civil unrest sparked by his immigration policies.

These changes are having a major impact in many communities, with employers, schools, local governments, and families facing uncertainty around deportations and the legal status of both documented and undocumented immigrants.

Due to the current political climate, if you cover this topic, prioritize the safety of yourself and your sources. The Student Press Law Center runs a free legal hotline and in April 2025 issued an alert, “to warn about the current threats to student speech posed by recent immigration enforcement actions on campuses across the country.”

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Explore how your community is responding: How is your school and/or broader community handling the increased immigration enforcement? What policies does your school have around requests from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)? What guidance have school administrators given to parents and students? Are students and teachers changing their behavior as a result of the increased enforcement? What kinds of actions have you seen people in your community take?

Extension activity: Explore past American laws and policies directed at immigrants. Throughout its history, the U.S. has been both welcoming and hostile to newcomers. Research a historical time period and produce a story examining the broader context surrounding the legal and cultural changes that influenced the country’s attitudes toward immigrants.

• Covering Federal Immigration Enforcement Policy and Actions - Student Press Law Center
• Essential advice for student journalists covering immigration from JEA
• Covering immigration? Here’s what to watch for under a Trump administration - Poynter
• Poynter’s list of resources for covering immigration
• Report: How to cover immigrant communities - The Lenfest Institute
• 'I've lived it': Examining how journalists report on the immigrant experience - WHYY
• Historical Overview of Immigration Policy in the US from the Center for Immigration Studies
• Dart Center for Trauma-Informed Reporting

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For student stories to be considered for publication on national and local platforms, students must pitch a story idea, and if accepted, collaborate with SRL staff on production and edits. This will include a process of receiving feedback from SRL staff and making multiple edits and revisions, which may take several weeks/months, depending on the story. Learn more about pitching your story idea here.