Trump's 2025 asylum suspension departed from a policy framework in place since 1980

President Donald Trump signed an executive order in 2025 to restrict birthright citizenship

In 2025, President Trump signed an order attempting to end automatic citizenship for children born to undocumented immigrants or temporary visa holders—limiting it to those with a US citizen or permanent resident parent.

Courts have blocked the Trump administration's 2025 executive order limiting birthright citizenship

In June 2025, the Supreme Court declined to rule on the constitutionality of the order. Since then, two federal appellate courts have found the order unconstitutional, halting its enforcement nationwide.

Trump's 2025 tariffs represent a significant break from the rules-based trade order

The Trump administration imposed broad tariffs on other countries outside WTO rules in 2025, claiming that those countries had long violated trade agreements and that the US was simply leveling the playing field.

President Trump invoked the Monroe Doctrine in 2025, announcing a new 'Trump Corollary'

On Dec. 2, 2025, the 202nd anniversary of the doctrine, President Donald Trump issued a proclamation reaffirming US "dominance" in the Western Hemisphere. His administration's national security strategy officially codified the "Trump Corollary," stating that the US would prevent non-hemispheric powers from gaining strategic influence in the Americas.

Before 1965, US immigration law relied on nationality-based bans and quotas.

Experts believe a Supreme Court ruling on birthright citizenship is likely in 2026

In September 2025, the Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to review lower court rulings striking down its executive order on birthright citizenship. If the court takes the case, a decision is expected by mid-2026.

Policies related to the coronavirus pandemic inadvertently increased illegal border crossings

A pandemic-era public health measure called Title 42—intended to seal the border by expelling migrants immediately—backfired. Because expulsions carried no legal consequences, migrants simply tried again, driving illegal crossings to a peak of over 370,000 people in December 2023.

President Trump implemented a $100K fee on new H-1B visa applications

In September 2025, President Trump announced a $100K application fee for new H-1B petitions, framing it as a way to limit misuse of the program. His administration later clarified it was a one-time fee for new applicants, not an annual charge. (Some users may experience a paywall.)

In June 2025, apprehensions of illegal border crossings at the US-Mexico border reached an all-time low

Total US-Mexico border encounters fell to just 25,228—the lowest monthly figure ever recorded by Customs and Border Patrol—with only 8,024 Border Patrol apprehensions and a single-day low of 136 detentions on June 28.

DACA provides temporary protection for undocumented youth brought to America as children

Created by executive order during the Obama administration, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy provides temporary deportation protection and work authorization for undocumented individuals brought to the US as children. Explore the history and ongoing political debates surrounding DACA and citizenship pathways.

Issues of ICE conduct span multiple Republican and Democratic administrations

Complaints of abuse and harsh treatment increased as detentions and deportations of undocumented immigrants reached record levels during former President Barack Obama's first term. Frontline investigated the causes of these claims in 2011 and found that these issues cross party lines.

The Supreme Court has greatly expanded executive power in recent years

In Trump v. United States, the court ruled that a former president enjoys absolute immunity for "official acts" in his constitutional core powers. In Trump v. CASA, Inc., the court limited federal courts' ability to block executive enforcement through nationwide injunctions—decisions that shifted power toward the executive branch.

What Trump's executive order provides TikTok

Just a few days into his second term, President Trump paused the US law banning TikTok through an executive order. While that may sound like an all-out reversal, it's more of a time out, granting ByteDance an additional 75 days to find a US-based seller. This resource breaks down what Trump's executive order provides the Chinese company and what it might mean for the future of the app.

The Supreme Court ruled in February 2026 that Trump's emergency tariff powers didn't extend to imposing tariffs

In a 6-3 decision, the court held that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act—a 1977 law granting the president authority to regulate commerce during national emergencies—does not authorise the president to unilaterally impose tariffs, a power the Constitution reserves to Congress.

President Trump has changed decades-long norms for the DOJ during his second term

The Trump administration made changes to ethics oversight, instructed US attorneys to coordinate with the White House, dismissed cases, and overhauled the career hiring process in the Civil Rights division. The administration asserts these changes were justified and aimed to end what they claim as the weaponization of government.

Visa overstays account for nearly 40% of illegal US entries

In fiscal year 2023, approximately 510,000 people overstayed their visas, while 860,000 crossed the border illegally, meaning overstays accounted for 37% of the total number of new unauthorized arrivals. This represents a shift from 2007 to 2018, when overstays outnumbered border crossings, to 2019, when illegal crossings surged again.

H-1B approval rates have swung sharply between administrations

Denial rates for new H-1B petitions rose from 6% in 2015 to 24% under the Trump administration as officials tightened standards. Under Biden, approvals rebounded, with denials falling to just 2% by 2022—the lowest since 2009.

The Supreme Court limited federal judges' power to issue nationwide injunctions in 2025

In a 2025 decision arising from litigation over a presidential order on birthright citizenship, the Supreme Court held that individual federal judges may not nationwide block executive policies—curbing the use of sweeping injunctions and reshaping how constitutional challenges proceed through the courts.

In 2025, President Donald Trump signed an order shrinking the Department of Education

On March 20, 2025, President Donald Trump issued an executive order to “take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure” of the U.S. Department of Education, though complete dismantlement requires congressional approval.

Hear the reasoning behind Trump's resurrection of the Monroe Doctrine in 2025.

Sanctuary cities limit local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement

Sanctuary cities limit how local agencies help ICE—such as restricting detainers, jail transfers, or data sharing—while still enforcing criminal law, leaving immigration enforcement mostly to federal authorities.

Opposing policies over immigration and sanctuary cities define the contemporary debate over federalism

Disputes between the federal government, Republican-controlled states, and Democratic-controlled cities over immigration enforcement and sanctuary policies have become a central flash point in modern federalism. These conflicts will shape the future of state autonomy, federal authority, and the enforcement of national policy across jurisdictions.

Presidents now rely on executive agreements instead of formal treaties

Formal treaties—requiring two-thirds Senate approval—have become rare in American foreign policy. Modern presidents increasingly use executive agreements, which don't need congressional consent, allowing faster diplomacy but reducing legislative oversight and transparency.

The Trump administration said the new H‑1B fee curbs abuse but still attracts top talent

In announcing a fee on new H‑1B petitions, the Trump administration claimed the visa was exploited to replace American workers and suppress wages. Officials argued that a steep fee would deter abuse while still allowing employers to bring in the "best of the best" temporary foreign talent.

How America's cocaine habit fueled its migrant crisis

The United States has been facing a migration crisis along its southern border. Thousands of people have been fleeing their homes in Central America, traveling north through Mexico, and claiming asylum in the USA. Much of this crisis can be traced...

A poll from May 2025 found that a majority of Americans oppose ending birthright citizenship

As legal challenges progressed, a May 2025 NPR/Ipsos poll showed fewer than one-third of Americans supported eliminating birthright citizenship, despite broader public backing for other immigration restrictions.

Only about 70 employers have paid Trump's $100K H-1B fee as of February 2026

Only about 70 employers have paid the $100K fee for certain H-1B hires since it was imposed by presidential proclamation in September 2025, a DOJ attorney said in court, as judges weigh whether the charge requires explicit congressional authorization.

How the Trump administration explained the firing of the NSF's National Science Board

The White House argued that the April 24, 2026, decision resulted from the 2021 US v. Arthrex Supreme Court ruling, which "set limits on the powers of executive branch officials who are not Senate-confirmed" and therefore conflicts with the law that created the NSB. As of May 2026, the administration has yet to explain its next steps for the advisory arm of the National Science Foundation, which has lost about a third of its staff since the start of 2025.

The 2025 budget bill significantly increased ICE's budget and role in federal law enforcement

The 2025 'Big Beautiful Bill' allocated $170B to immigration and border enforcement for use through 2029. ICE's nearly $100B share includes substantial increases in detention capacity and operational scope. The increased funding will make ICE the most heavily funded federal law enforcement agency.

The 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act abolished national-origin quotas and transformed the demographics of America

Following decades of citizens pressing for reform, President Johnson signed legislation abolishing national-origin quotas, enabling increased immigration from Asia and Africa. The LBJ Presidential Library features photos, videos, audio clips, and text from the 1965 signing ceremony.

Donald Trump was impeached in 2019 for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress

The House charged President Trump with pressuring Ukraine to investigate political rival Joe Biden while withholding military aid. The Senate acquitted him in February 2020, with only one Republican voting to convict.

The 2025-26 Supreme Court docket is poised to reshape presidential power

As the Supreme Court begins a new term, several major cases could define the scope of presidential authority. The court may rule on President Trump's efforts to control state National Guard units, fire independent officials, impose tariffs, and cut congressionally mandated federal spending.

President Donald Trump's 2025 address drew 36.6 million viewers

President Trump's audience was about 13% higher than President Biden's 2024 address, but it fell short of Donald Trump's first-term State of the Union viewership, which consistently topped 37 million and peaked near 48 million in 2017.

A majority of Americans think President Trump is using more power than previous presidents

An October 2025 Pew Research Center survey found that 69% of Americans believed President Trump was trying to exert more power than previous presidents. Most Democrats viewed it negatively, while about half of Republicans said it was good for the country.

Track the changes in US immigration law throughout history

This interactive timeline tracks the development of US immigration law, overlaid with time-series data on percentages of the foreign-born population. Explore how each major policy development correlated with immigration levels, revealing the relationship between legislation and demographic change.

Despite the Supreme Court ruling that President Donald Trump's 2025 tariffs were unconstitutional, billions of dollars in refunds remain unresolved

Over 2,000 lawsuits seeking refunds have been filed by major companies, including FedEx and Costco, but CBP says its systems can't handle the volume. Interest on unpaid refunds is accruing at an estimated $650M per month.

Trump has extended TikTok's sale deadline three times

In 2024, US lawmakers passed a requirement for parent company ByteDance Ltd. to sell TikTok or face a ban in the country, which the company challenged in court. In early 2025, the law took effect, though President Trump paused it three separate times, affording the company more time to sell.

Immigration enforcement shows how federalism plays out on the ground

In recent years, federalism has shifted from allowing policy diversity across states to open conflict, with states and the federal government increasingly trying to impose their preferences on one another over issues like abortion, voting, immigration, and public health.

Track how American tariffs have impacted different countries and industries.

What Trump's second 75-day extension means for TikTok sale

After President Trump took office in January 2025, he offered TikTok the opportunity to find a US company to buy the app within 75 days. In the meantime, the app continued operating. In April, Trump extended that deadline by an additional 75 days. This BBC article breaks down what that means for the company's potential buyers and for its users.

Explore over a century of US-Canadian relations.

Certain government assistance programs are available to green-card holders

Federal programs such as Medicaid and SNAP are often available to US green-card holders, but that's not typically the case for people with other immigration statuses in the US, like DACA recipients, asylum applicants, and unauthorized immigrants.

President Trump tore down the East Wing in October 2025 to build a new ballroom

In October 2025, Donald Trump commenced demolition of the historic East Wing of the White House to clear space for a privately funded, 90,000-square-foot ballroom. The project drew criticism from preservationists and public officials.

Sharp partisan divides shape how Americans view immigration enforcement

A January 2026 survey shows large party gaps: Both sides broadly support recording arrests, but Democrats are much more likely than Republicans to support sharing officer locations and to oppose profiling, masked officers, and neighborhood-based enforcement.

FDR's Good Neighbor policy reversed the interventionism that had grown from the Monroe Doctrine

Franklin Roosevelt pledged in his 1933 inaugural address to be a "good neighbor" to Latin America and to oppose armed intervention by American forces. His administration withdrew troops from previous occupations and signed a multilateral agreement stating that no state has the right to interfere in another's affairs.

President Trump's 2025 Tariffs added less inflationary pressure to the economy than expected in their first year

A year after the so-called "Liberation Day" in April 2025, tariffs have had a milder effect on inflation than feared—core goods prices have added only about 0.2% to the headline Consumer Price Index—but persistent policy uncertainty has rattled small business owners, who say the constant back-and-forth makes long-term planning difficult.

See a chart showing how US tariff revenue has grown in recent years.

A timeline of US immigration laws

The United States began regulating immigration soon after it won independence from Great Britain, and the laws since enacted have reflected the politics and migrant flows of the times. Here's a timeline of key immigration laws from 1790 to 2014, according to the Pew Research Center.

Both parties largely agree that America's immigration system is broken

This three‑part podcast series traces America's immigration system origins, revealing how historically celebrated Ellis Island-era policies evolved into today's fractured, fact‑starved debate—shedding light on economic, cultural, and political forces shaping the current dysfunction.

Donald Trump redefined presidential communication in the social media age

Trump used platforms like Twitter (now X) to bypass traditional media, announce policy, and confront opponents directly. His online presence reshaped political messaging, blurred the line between official and personal communication, and transformed how presidents engage the public.