McALLEN, Texas (Border Report) — During his first 100 days in office, President Donald Trump has implemented 175 immigration-related actions, much more than he did during his first term, according to a new report.
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The non-partisan Migration Policy Institute report released Thursday used the word “flurry” to describe the frenetic pace of immigration policy changes and rules implemented under the new Trump administration.
It’s “at a pace nearly sixfold greater than during the same period in the first Trump term,” according to the report “In First 100 Days, Trump 2.0 has Dramatically Reshaped the U.S. Immigration System, but is Not Meeting Mass Deportation Aims.”
“The administration has tapped the military, federal agencies and databases, and state and local law enforcement, as well as invoked archaic laws previously used only in wartime to accomplish the most sweeping immigration enforcement policy changes in U.S. history. It also has situated immigration enforcement at the heart of its dealings with Mexico, Canada, and other countries in the Western Hemisphere and beyond, marking a sharp shift in U.S. foreign policy,” according to the report.
During a call with reporters Thursday, MPI officials said there has been a drop in the American public’s support for Trump’s immigration agenda due to the realization that he’s targeting not only hard-core non-citizen criminals for deportation, but also outspoken students, and in some cases, people who have been arrested and deported on incorrect information to which the administration has admitted.
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Also affecting public perception is seeing the administration not complying with recent federal judges’ orders regarding the deportation and return of some non-citizens. That is “softening” the public’s support of the Trump deportation agenda, said Muzaffar Chishti, a lawyer, and MPI senior fellow and director of the MPI office at New York University School of Law.
In this photo provided by El Salvador’s presidential press office, prison guards transfer deportees from the U.S., alleged to be Venezuelan gang members, to the Terrorism Confinement Center in Tecoluca, El Salvador, March 16, 2025. (El Salvador presidential press office via AP, File)
The MPI report estimates that given the current pace of deportations, they believe “the administration will fall well short of its stated goal of 1 million deportations annually.”
An estimated 500,000 people so far this year have been deported. That’s fewer than the 685,000 deportations under the Biden administration in Fiscal Year 2024, which ended Sept. 30, the report found.
There are an estimated 13.7 million undocumented immigrants in the United States, MPI says.
The think-tank says the Trump administration is working to reduce the number of immigrants in the country illegally and “has invoked many policies that will reduce legal immigration.”
This includes attempts to restrict birthright citizenship, to pausing refugee resettlement and greater scrutiny of green-card holders, international students, and a move to withhold safety-net public benefits for those who are foreign-born, and even their U.S. citizens relatives living in mixed-status families, the report says.
Venezuelan migrants deported from the United States arrive at Simon Bolivar International Airport in Maiquetia, Venezuela, Monday, Feb. 10, 2025. (AP File Photo/Ariana Cubillos)
The report says the recent activities are stoking “fear” and taking a toll on the number of foreign travelers coming to America.
“These actions have instilled fear in immigrant communities, especially around enforcement operations. Schools are reporting reduced attendance. Farmers and other employers say they worry their workers will be deported. International travel to the United States has decreased as arrests and detentions of several visitors from Canada and Europe have drawn global headlines. And immigrant-rich neighborhoods are seeing a decline in foot traffic and commerce,” the report found.
Officials say it’s also uncertain what will happen in the future to legal permanent residents who travel abroad upon their re-entry into the United States.
Chishti said this shouldn’t “paralyze” lawful immigrants because millions are coming and going into the country every year without problems. However, he urges anyone with questions or trepidations to consult a lawyer before traveling.
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The report also credited the Trump administration with huge drops in those trying to illegally enter the United States on the Southwest border.
(MPI Graphic)
The report found that most non-citizens removed from the United States were arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at state and local jails and prisons. ICE has rapidly increased use of 287(g) agreements that deputize state and local officers to perform immigration duties. The number of such agreements is at 456 — triple the 135 in December. And currently, there are 107 applications pending, as of April 23, the report found.
But these agreements can be expensive for communities.
“The costs are not just of holding people longer but also lawsuits. Some communities thinking of (joining) 287(g) are weighing concerns about local safety, trust with (the immigrant) community and also the costs,” Julia Gelatt, associate director of the U.S. Immigration Policy Program at MPI, said Thursday.
The 175 executive actions by Trump that are immigration-specific are through April 22. Trump’s first 100 days don’t actually end until April 30, however, since he took office on Jan. 20.
During his first administration, Trump implemented fewer than 30 immigration actions during his first 100 days in office, the report says.
President Joe Biden implemented 94 actions during his first 100 days in office.
The two House members who represent El Paso had strong but diverging opinions on Trump’s first 100 days in office.
U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, said Trump has failed to keep his promise of improving America’s economy. He also has the lowest approval rating of any president going into his first 100 days in office.
“It’s been almost 100 days into Trump’s presidency, yet the country is still waiting for him to lower inflation like he promised to do on Day One,” Escobar tweeted on Monday.
She went on to enumerate the president’s plummeting approval ratings on immigration (45%), the economy (39%), inflation (35%) and tariffs (35%).
U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, defended the president’s tariffs and economic agenda. He also lauded Trump’s executive actions on immigration and drug cartels. These include lowering illegal border crossings to a few hundred a day and working with Mexico to extradite 29 drug kingpins and crack down on migrant and drug smuggling at the Southwest border.
“President Trump is a talented negotiator and has made important demands from our allies – including our neighbor Mexico – so that we can strengthen our partnerships across the world and fix problems that have long affected American communities,” Gonzales said in an email to Border Report. “As a result, we have seen a massive drop in illegal immigration to the United States, and our security posture has improved greatly.”
And while Escobar has publicly criticized Trump for proposed cuts to health care and education, Gonzales said he looks forward to “delivering a budget that reflects this commitment to safety and prosperity for American communities.”
Sandra Sanchez can be reached at SSanchez@BorderReport.com.
