Restoring integrity to America’s immigration system: Border security must be matched by accountability

From the report

America’s immigration system is undergoing a significant transformation under President Donald Trump’s administration. The central question is no longer simply how to secure the country’s borders, but how to restore credibility, accountability, and consistency throughout the entire immigration system. The administration’s latest enforcement announcements suggest that it intends to address not only unauthorized border crossings but also immigration benefits and temporary legal statuses granted under previous policies.

On October 29, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that approximately 2.2 million immigration enforcement actions had resulted in the revocation or termination of immigration status or related measures since President Trump returned to office. The administration describes these actions as part of a broader effort to strengthen immigration enforcement and ensure that individuals remain in the country only when legally authorized.

The administration has also moved to end several categorical humanitarian parole programs established during the Biden administration. These programs provided temporary permission to enter or remain in the United States for substantial numbers of migrants. Supporters of the policy changes argue that humanitarian parole should remain an exceptional, individualized mechanism rather than becoming an alternative pathway for large-scale immigration. Critics, however, contend that abruptly terminating existing protections can create uncertainty for people who entered legally under government-approved programs.