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Trump's Top Priorities Include Immigration and Border Security
Immigration was a big issue in the U.S. presidential election and president-elect Donald Trump has said he definitely plans to build a barrier on the U.S. border with Mexico. He said he will prioritize deporting unauthorized immigrants with criminal records. Immigration and Customs Enforcement estimates about 2 million undocumented immigrants fall into this category, but the majority are not drug dealers or murderers, but charged with nonviolent crimes such as shoplifting. Listen to hear more about the potential plans of the incoming Administration.
Read MoreImmigration Ban's Potential Implications
Last week President Trump issued an executive order banning refugees for from seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States for a 90 day period. The order also prevents all refugees from entering the country for 120 days and Syrian refugees indefinitely. Some experts fear this policy will have a strongly negative impact on foreign affairs, sending the message that the United States is at war with Islam and willing to restrict immigration based on religious beliefs. Listen to learn more about Trump’s refugee ban and its potential foreign policy consequences.
Read MoreTrump Ends Program Protecting Children of Immigrants
Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that the Trump administration will end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in six months. This program was established by executive action during the Obama administration to grant people under 16 who were brought to the U.S. illegally by their parents a temporary reprieve from deportation. Immigration officials will stop taking new applications and will decide on renewals on a case by case basis. Listen to hear more about the ending of the DACA program.
Read MoreLegal Immigration Status Ends for Many Salvadorans
In 2001, earthquakes devastated El Salvador. Former President George W. Bush implemented a humanitarian program that allowed some Salvadorans to live and work in America temporarily. The Temporary Protected Status has been regularly renewed since then. Last week, the Trump Administration announced it would be ending the program. This affects about 200,000 people who have been living, working, and paying taxes in the United States for 17 years. They will return to a country with few jobs and one of the highest homicide rates in the world. Listen to learn more about the impact of ending this program.
Read MoreCURRENT EVENT | January 30, 2018
In a meeting to discuss immigrants from Haiti, Africa and Central America, President Trump said he believes the United States grants entry to too many people from these countries and instead should focus on welcoming immigrants from countries such as Norway. These comments came as a shock to many. But America once had a visa program based on national origin. Listen to learn what happened to this program and how Trump's comments could affect the multicultural identity of America.
Story Length: 4:13
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01/13/2018
https://app.listenwise.com/students/events/1058-the-origins-of-past-immigrant-quotas
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