Think Immigration: Trump’s Chaotic Policies Show America Needs a Better Way Forward

In January 2025, President Trump—emboldened by his election victory—rolled out a massive deportation plan and sweeping restrictions on who can enter the country, claiming he was protecting the nation from foreign invasion. At the time, we warned that these policies would neither make the nation safer nor serve our long-term interests. One year later, the magnitude of the damage is undeniable.

The most alarming example is the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) killings of people in broad daylight—incidents that have shocked the nation and highlighted how these agencies are operating without adequate safeguards and are eroding public safety. But those tragedies are only the tip of the iceberg. Across the country, families, businesses, and communities are confronting the human and economic fallout of a system mired in dysfunction.

Americans have taken notice. Public support for the Administration’s immigration agenda has shifted dramatically. Today, nearly two-thirds of Americans oppose ICE’s enforcement strategy, and 60% of Americans disapprove of President Trump’s immigration agenda. This signals the rising concerns about policies that create instability without improving security or restoring order.

Americans’ growing dissatisfaction creates an opportunity for our nation’s leaders to propose solutions that will build an immigration system that works for American families and businesses, promotes public safety, and is also fair and compassionate.

To help policymakers and the public understand the stakes, AILA is launching A Better Way on Immigration, a series of briefs evaluating the first year of the Trump Administration’s policies. We show the impact these seismic changes have had on the lives of Americans and present a forward-looking vision for immigration policy. The first set of briefs show how legal immigration channels have slowed to a crawl due to policies such as extreme vetting, delays in processing applications, and sweeping travel bans – measures that have undermined national security and public safety and destabilized legal pathways for families, workers, and businesses. The second set of policy briefs, to be published in March, will demonstrate how the enforcement system has disregarded the Constitution and the rule of law, reduced operational effectiveness, and closed off humanitarian protection for those fleeing danger. The nation is less safe under current policies that divert resources from critical law enforcement needs and undermine the public’s trust and confidence.

A Better Way Forward

America is at an inflection point. Our immigration system—decades out of date and repeatedly weaponized for political gain—no longer serves the country’s needs. Neither party has produced lasting solutions. By the end of the Biden Administration, public support had also eroded, driven by concerns about border management and enforcement.

The nation doesn’t need another lurch toward extremes. Americans need a modern immigration system that balances border security, enforcement, and adjudications fairly to work for families, businesses, and communities. AILA’s Better Way series offers a practical framework and specific policy recommendations.

A better way forward begins with:

• Modernizing the legal immigration system to advance U.S. economic and security interests
• Creating pathways to permanent status for undocumented individuals so they can come forward, integrate into our communities, and contribute fully
• Implementing robust accountability measures to ensure good government
• Ensuring fair, humane, and effective immigration enforcement that respects the rule of law
• Establishing orderly border enforcement that protects American communities and people fleeing danger

Congress has the opportunity to revitalize the immigration system to reflect the values Americans expect from their government. Policymakers, stakeholders, and the public can access the briefs and take action through AILA’s advocacy resources.