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Business Standard

100 days of Trump: Immigrants, international students, refugees in a limbo

April 30 marks 100 days since US President Donald Trump took office for the second time. In this short span, his administration has introduced sweeping changes to the country's immigration system, reshaping border enforcement, legal migration, humanitarian pathways and visa rules. While the focus has been on restricting entry and stepping up deportations, there are some pro-immigration proposals too, though they remain limited and largely unimplemented. 'Trump's policies seem to be a blend of economic priorities and stringent immigration reform. While there are opportunities for highly skilled Indian professionals and students with advanced degrees, the environment remains challenging for those not aligned with specific labour market needs,' Prashant Ajmera, immigration lawyer at Ajmera Law Group told Business Standard. Ajmera pointed to sectors like artificial intelligence, renewable energy and healthcare as offering relatively secure pathways. 'Strategic education and career planning are now more important than ever,' he said. Many of the administration's decisions have already landed in court. Some measures to restrict university grants and student visas have been stayed. For example, the F-1 visa programme — which had initially faced suspension — was reinstated following judicial intervention. 'One of my clients, whose F-1 visa was affected, was called back to submit her passport. Her visa will be reissued, and she can now resume her studies,' said Ajmera. Even where reforms may be necessary, Ajmera said extreme measures have backfired. 'The system is resilient. Aspirants must stay vigilant and adaptive,' he said. Legal and labour divide 'Trump's first 100 days have created mixed outcomes for Indian immigrants and students,' Aurelia Menezes, partner at King Stubb & Kasiva, Advocates and Attorneys told Business Standard. According to Menezes, there are two student-focused opportunities under discussion: A green card for graduates — intended to retain skilled talent A merit-based immigration system — prioritising employability and education 'The green card policy is more concrete. The merit-based model is still being advocated, but we don't know how or when it may take shape,' she said. Alongside these, several restrictions are already being felt: < Mandatory identity documents for all immigrants in the US, with risk of deportation or detention for non-compliance < Limits on Optional Practical Training (OPT) and STEM extensions, which many students use to gain work experience and transition to H-1B < Shortened visa durations to four years, causing uncertainty for PhD and graduate students < Growing visa denials, requests for evidence, and delays for H-1B and H-4 holders, affecting families that rely on dual incomes 'It feels more like a crackdown than a reform. For many, it's proving to be a bane rather than a boon,' said Menezes. Proposed gold card to replace EB-5 The administration has floated a new 'Gold Card' programme that would offer permanent residency to wealthy foreign investors willing to invest at least $5 million. This is being considered as a replacement for the EB-5 investor visa, which currently requires an investment of $800,000 to $1.05 million, depending on location and project. While no formal legislation has been introduced, President Trump has described the Gold Card as a way to "bring in the best investors from around the world." Some experts believe the price point may restrict demand, especially from emerging markets. Border as a battleground Proclamation 10886, issued on January 20, declared a national emergency and called unauthorised migration an "invasion." Executive Order 14167 followed, deploying 10,000 troops and allocating $376 million to border security. National Security Presidential Memorandum 4 granted military control over certain federal lands, where migrants could be detained for trespassing. The border wall is back in focus too. In March, $70 million was sanctioned for seven miles of new barriers in Texas. Border encounters have plummeted — just 7,181 in March 2025, a 95% fall from the same month last year. Inside the deportation machinery The White House has declared a target of one million deportations a year. By comparison, the previous high was 267,000 in 2019. ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) has been instructed to: < Expand expedited removal to cover undocumented individuals anywhere in the US < Meet daily arrest quotas of 1,200 to 1,500 < Permit enforcement at previously protected spaces like schools, hospitals and places of worship < Revive controversial 287(g) agreements allowing local police to enforce federal immigration laws As of April 2025, 456 such agreements are in place across 38 states. However, only 12,300 individuals were removed in March 2025, reflecting legal, operational and funding constraints. Detention centres are already overcrowded, and many deportation orders are being challenged in court. Shutting humanitarian routes Several humanitarian pathways introduced under the Biden administration have been shut down: CBP One app was suspended, leaving 270,000 migrants stranded in Mexico Central American Minors programme terminated Parole revoked for migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela Refugee admissions suspended, cancelling over 10,000 scheduled flights Temporary Protected Status (TPS) has been revoked for nationals from Venezuela, Haiti, Afghanistan and Cameroon, though courts have paused some terminations. Refugees and parolees in limbo A new executive order has declared refugee admissions will resume only if they serve "national interest." Resettlement agencies report mass layoffs due to stalled processing. About 600,000 refugees were under consideration when admissions were frozen. Uniting for Ukraine and Afghan parolees are currently exempt. Meanwhile, parole revocation notices were sent to nearly a million CBP One app users, instructing them to leave the US or face a permanent ban. Detention doubled ICE has increased detention capacity, with plans to reach 100,000 beds. Over 49,000 individuals were in custody as of early April. Key moves: $45 billion proposed for new detention infrastructure Reopening of family detention centres in Texas Plans for mass detention at military bases including Guantanamo Bay Advocacy groups report: Overcrowded facilities Poor hygiene and medical care Revived family detention raising mental health concerns, especially for children Visa revocations spark fear Nearly 1,500 student visas were revoked under a new 'Catch and Revoke' programme, using AI to scan social media for perceived extremist content. Most affected students were unaware of their visa status until they received emails from DHS. After widespread backlash, the government said on April 25 it would reverse the cancellations and review procedures. Free speech, citizenship, and English Executive Order 14160, signed by Trump, seeks to end birthright citizenship for children born in the US to undocumented immigrants or temporary visa holders. Multiple courts have blocked this order, and the Supreme Court will hear arguments on May 15. Another order has declared English the official language of the United States, removing funding for translation services. Critics say it will disproportionately affect 68 million Americans who speak a language other than English at home. Legal battles continue The administration's use of the Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelans, without hearings, is being contested in courts. In one case, 137 men were sent to a prison in El Salvador without charge. The Supreme Court ruled they must be given notice and a chance to contest removal. Further litigation is underway against expanded military detention, refugee programme changes, and student visa revocations. The US government is preparing to introduce a new policy to govern the termination of SEVIS records, following lawsuits from international students over wrongful visa cancellations. SEVIS, or the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, is the database used to track compliance of international students with their visa conditions. Last week, a federal judge in Georgia issued Temporary Restraining Orders (TROs) directing the reinstatement of SEVIS records for 133 students, including Indians, who claimed their visa status was wrongly terminated. The students, holding F-1 and M-1 visas, alleged that their SEVIS records were closed after law enforcement checks, often involving no criminal convictions or charges. The sudden cancellations left students panicked and confused, with many unaware they were even under scrutiny. A government lawyer later told a federal court in Oakland, California, that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was reversing the terminations. In a statement read in court and emailed to lawyers, the government said it was working on a framework to guide SEVIS record terminations going forward. 'ICE is developing a policy that will provide a framework for SEVIS record terminations. Until such a policy is issued, the SEVIS records for plaintiff(s) in this case (and other similarly situated plaintiffs) will remain Active or shall be re-activated if not currently active and ICE will not modify the record solely based on the NCIC finding that resulted in the recent SEVIS record termination,' the statement read.