As Trump’s Immigration Crackdown Shows Results, Critics Call It ‘Ludicrous’

As of August 13, 2025, the Trump administration has launched a sweeping immigration enforcement drive with immediate effects across the United States. Backed by a new law, emergency powers, and court wins, federal agencies are arresting more people, expanding detention, and fast-tracking deportations. Supporters say the measures protect national security and deter unlawful crossings. Critics—including legal scholars, advocacy groups, and some state officials—call the approach “ludicrous,” “lawless,” and “unprecedented,” citing due process concerns, family separations, and arrests at schools and hospitals.

Policy changes and legal tools

On July 4, 2025, President Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), a sweeping funding package that:

• Provides $32 billion for enforcement and deportation operations
• Allocates $75 billion for border militarization, including $47 billion for the border wall
• Gives broad discretion to federal agencies with limited oversight
• Orders rapid growth of immigration detention, nationwide use of expedited removal, and expansion of the 287(g) program (which allows local police to act as federal immigration officers)

On Inauguration Day, the White House issued Proclamation 10886, declaring a national emergency at the southern border and expanding expedited removal nationwide. Under this policy:

• Any undocumented person arrested anywhere in the country who cannot show more than two years of continuous residence may be removed quickly without a hearing before an immigration judge.
• ICE leadership set daily arrest targets of 1,200–1,500 people and authorized actions at traditionally sensitive places, contributing to increases in collateral arrests and mistaken detentions of U.S. citizens.

The administration is also moving against sanctuary policies by threatening funding cuts and civil or criminal penalties for officials who refuse to cooperate with federal agents. Some of these steps are temporarily on hold due to court orders, but the push continues.

States are divided in their responses:

• Resistance: New York and Rhode Island leaders have vowed resistance.
• Cooperation: Texas and Florida are working closely with federal agencies and passing tougher state rules aligned with the federal posture.

Asylum, refugee channels, and detention

Asylum and refugee pathways have narrowed sharply:

• The southern border is largely closed to people who cross between ports; those who cross between ports are now barred from applying for most immigration benefits, including asylum.
• Many are being sent to Mexico under a revived “Remain in Mexico” plan.
• The refugee program is indefinitely suspended, with a stated exception for white Afrikaners from South Africa—a carve-out that advocates say raises serious fairness concerns.

In July 2025, ICE adopted a new bond policy that further limits who can be released while cases proceed. The policy:

• Pushes more people toward detention and reduces community release options
• Increases pressure on people to give up claims to leave custody
• Has taken effect agency-wide, with planned detention-space expansion

Key court decision

On June 27, 2025, the Supreme Court ruled in Trump v. CASA, upholding key executive orders that undergird this enforcement drive. While parts of the agenda remain in litigation, the ruling gave the White House a strong legal basis to:

• Expand expedited removal
• Widen detention
• Revive programs that involve local police in federal immigration work

Administration goals, funding, and projected scale

By the administration’s own count, the target is to deport 1 million people per year—more than three times the prior record of 267,000 in FY 2019. Operational targets and funding shape this plan:

• ICE aims for 1,200–1,500 arrests daily.
• Analysis by VisaVerge.com notes that the combined funding of $32 billion (enforcement) and $75 billion (border measures) positions agencies to scale quickly through 2029, including construction of new detention sites and expanded use of the 287(g) model.

The administration is also seeking additional Congressional funding to expand detention capacity and operations through 2029, signaling the current pace may increase.

Supporters’ arguments

Supporters of the policy argue that:

• The tougher rules were overdue and will reduce illegal crossings and smuggling
• The measures restore control at the border and protect national security
• The White House frames actions as a response to an “invasion,” citing the Immigration and Nationality Act and emergency powers
• State allies—especially Texas and Florida—have praised the return to strict interior enforcement and broader use of local police under 287(g)

Critics’ concerns and legal objections

Critics counter with serious concerns:

• The plan undermines core due process norms and risks racial profiling
• Reports of arrests at schools and hospitals alarm civil liberties advocates
• Expedited removal without hearings leaves people vulnerable to rapid deportation
• The refugee pause—with one exception for a specific racial group—raises fairness and human-rights issues
• Human rights organizations warn of harm to families and wrongful detention of U.S. citizens

Some actions against sanctuary areas are paused by judges, but additional orders continue to arrive.

“The policy normalizes emergency powers for routine enforcement,” critics say, while supporters insist the scale is needed.

Practical effects for immigrants and families

For people without status, the new rules change daily decision-making. Important practical notes:

• Because expedited removal now applies nationwide, those stopped by ICE or its local partners may need to show proof of more than two years of continuous residence to avoid fast deportation.
• Acceptable practical records can include:
  • Rent receipts
  • Pay stubs
  • School records
  • Medical files
  • Utility bills
• Recommended steps:
  1. Keep copies of key documents with you where feasible.
  2. Store originals in a safe place.
  3. Save digital backups (cloud or encrypted storage).
  4. Seek legal advice quickly if a loved one is detained.

Current legal uncertainty and next steps

Legal uncertainty remains:

• Several executive actions are still being litigated.
• Lower courts have issued mixed rulings on funding penalties for sanctuary areas.
• The Supreme Court’s June 27 decision, however, has allowed the core strategy to advance.
• The administration’s push for more funding suggests possible further expansion through 2029.

For official guidance, the Department of Homeland Security posts information at: https://www.dhs.gov. Advocates urge people to seek legal counsel quickly if someone is detained.

How this differs from the prior administration

These steps mark a sharp break from President Biden’s approach, which had narrowed interior arrests and increased protections for some asylum seekers. The current policy:

• Restores tools used in 2017–2021
• Broadens their reach into the interior
• Gives agencies more latitude to act quickly and with fewer checks

Supporters say the scale is necessary; opponents warn it sets a precedent for using emergency powers for routine enforcement.