Donald Trump issued a flurry of executive orders on various issues, including immigration, climate change, and diversity, shortly after being sworn in as the 47th president of the United States.
Executive orders carry similar weight to laws but can be revoked by subsequent presidents or courts and are often subject to legal challenges. Here are the policies Trump introduced just hours after taking office.
Immigration and Border
- National Emergency at the Border
In the Oval Office, Trump signed a directive declaring a national emergency at the southern border. He also targeted birthright citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants born in the U.S. Additionally, he signed an order suspending the U.S. refugee resettlement program for four months and directed agency heads to renew efforts to construct additional physical barriers along the southern border.
- Designation of Gangs and Cartels as Terrorists
The president signed a directive designating drug cartels and transnational criminal gangs as foreign terrorist organizations. The Salvadoran migrant gang MS-13 and the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua were added to a list that includes al-Qaeda, ISIS, and Hamas.
- Remain in Mexico
Trump reinstated his “Remain in Mexico” policy, which during his first term returned around 70,000 non-Mexican asylum seekers to the other side of the border.
- Suspension of Migrant Flights
He also ended an initiative that allowed up to 30,000 migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela to be flown to the U.S. each month.
Cuba
- Back on the List
Trump reversed Biden’s decision to remove Cuba from the blacklist of state sponsors of terrorism, a decision made days earlier as part of a deal to release political prisoners on the island.
TikTok
- Ban Postponed
Trump signed an order delaying the enforcement of a law banning the Chinese-owned platform TikTok by 75 days. The company welcomed Trump’s promises and restored its services in the U.S. after briefly suspending them before his inauguration.
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Government Reform
- Federal Hiring Freeze
The president signed an order halting all new federal hiring until the government gains full control of its administration.
- Federal Employees Back to the Office
He signed a document mandating federal workers to return to in-office work, prohibiting remote work.
- Political Persecution
The new president signed an order aimed at ending the “weaponization of government against political adversaries.”
World Health Organization
- Withdrawal
Trump signed an executive order to begin the U.S. withdrawal process from the World Health Organization (WHO).
Diversity and Gender
- Transgender Policies
Trump issued an executive order declaring that the U.S. will only recognize “two sexes, male and female.” The order impacts transgender policies regarding government communications, civil rights protections, federal funding, and prisons. It also affects official documents like passports and visas.
In another order, he terminated all “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (DEI) programs within the federal government.
Economy
- Addressing Inflation
The president signed an order instructing all U.S. federal departments and agencies to tackle the issue of inflation affecting Americans.
Climate and Energy
- Withdrawal from the Paris Agreement (Again)
Trump signed an order withdrawing the U.S. from the Paris climate accord, aimed at limiting global temperature increases. He also declared a national energy emergency, pledging to “unlock Alaska’s extraordinary resource potential” and refill strategic oil reserves. He promised to end offshore wind leases and revoke what he called the “mandate” for electric vehicles.
Capitol Riots
- Pardons for 1,500 Capitol Rioters
At the White House, Trump announced plans to pardon approximately 1,500 of his supporters detained for the 2021 Capitol riots. He also commuted sentences for members of the far-right groups Oath Keepers and Proud Boys.
Por: BBC Mundo
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