Two men walk near the border between Mexico and the United States © IOM/Camilo Cruz

Immigration policy has been one of the most controversial aspects of Donald Trump’s presidency, both during his first term (2017–2021) and his second term (2025–present). His administration’s approach has been defined by harsh enforcement measures, mass deportations, and detention policies that have drawn widespread condemnation from human rights organizations, foreign governments, and legal experts. While the zero-tolerance policy and family separations defined his first term, his return to power in 2025 has introduced even more severe policies, including the detention of asylum seekers at Guantánamo Bay and the revival of extreme border security measures.

2017–2021: Family Separations, Mass Deportations, and Border Crackdowns

One of the most infamous human rights violations of Donald Trump’s first presidency was the family separation policy under the 2018 “zero-tolerance” immigration enforcement strategy. This policy mandated that all adults crossing the U.S.-Mexico border illegally be prosecuted, including asylum seekers, which led to the forcible separation of over 5,500 children from their parents. These children were placed in government-run shelters, often without a clear system for reunification. Many detainees, including children, were held in overcrowded facilities, which Amnesty International described as“inhumane” due to poor sanitation, inadequate medical care, and lack of proper oversight. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a lawsuit challenging the policy, which resulted in a federal judge ordering the reunification of families in June 2018. However, by 2021, 122,000 children were still separated due to poor government record-keeping, leaving many families permanently torn apart. Moreover, reports described these centers as prison-like environments, where migrant kids faced overcrowding, extreme cold, and lack of proper sanitation in pre-built cages. The UN Human Rights Office condemned the policy, labeling it a violation of international law and state-sponsored child abuse (UNHCR).

2025–Present: The Return of Trump and Escalation of Immigration Crackdowns

After winning re-election in 2024, Trump revived and expanded many of his first-term immigration policies, taking an even harsher approach. His administration has cracked down on undocumented immigrants, reinstated controversial border policies, and introduced one of the most extreme anti-immigration measures in U.S. history—the detention of asylum seekers at Guantánamo Bay.

In February 2025, reports emerged that Trump’s administration had begun transferring asylum seekers to Guantánamo Bay, a military detention center historically used for suspected terrorists. This move targeted migrants from Venezuela, Cuba, and Haiti, labeling them as “security threats” despite a lack of evidence supporting such claims. The Guardianreported that many detainees were held without legal representation and faced indefinite detention, a clear violation of both U.S. and international law. The United Nations has a history of condemning the use of Guantánamo Bay for detention purposes, particularly due to concerns over gross human rights violations. While specific statements regarding the recent transfer of asylum seekers to Guantánamo Bay by the Trump administration in 2025 are not available in the provided sources, the UN has previously criticized the facility’s conditions and the practice of indefinite detention. For instance, UN experts have described Guantánamo as a site of “unparalleled notoriety.” Additionally, organizations such as Refugees International have condemned the recent policy, stating that “setting up an American gulag in the Caribbean in response to forced displacement in the Americas is a shameful law in U.S. history”.

Additionally, Trump reinstated the controversial “Remain in Mexico” policy, which forces asylum seekers to wait in dangerous border towns in Mexico while their cases are processed. Originally implemented in 2019, this policy trapped thousands of migrants in unsanitary refugee camps, where they faced violence, kidnappings, and a lack of medical care. Human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch (HRW), have strongly criticized its reinstatement, warning that it puts vulnerable people at severe risk of exploitation and abuse since border enforcement agencies  on both sides of the border continue to function with almost complete impunity despite being linked to a wide range of abuses that are typical of the program.

Mass deportations have also surged under Trump’s renewed immigration enforcement strategy, with immigration raids intensifying across the U.S. ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) has escalated workplace raids, arresting thousands of undocumented workers in January and February 2025. Reports indicate that families are once again being separated, with parents being deported while their U.S.-born children remain in the country, creating a humanitarian crisis. In a recent incident, on 12th February 2025, A military aircraft transporting 119 immigrants from nations such as Afghanistan, Iran, Uzbekistan, China, Sri Lanka, Turkey, and Pakistan departed from California to Panama City. The decision to accept migrants seems to have emerged from Marco Rubio’s (US Secretary of State) visit to Panama last week. José Raúl Mulino, the President of Panama, informed reporters that the nation has accepted “119 individuals from various nationalities worldwide.” “We anticipate extricating them from that location at the earliest opportunity,” Mulino stated. “This represents an additional contribution by Panama regarding the migration issue.” He stated that the migrants would ultimately be repatriated to their countries of origin via flights funded by the United States.

These actions, implemented in under one month from inauguration, reflect a significant intensification of Trump’s harsh immigration stance, provoking international concern and legal opposition. The future of immigration rights in the U.S. is more uncertain, as families are fragmented, asylum seekers are held indefinitely, and vulnerable migrants are exposed to risk.

Mohammad Mohseni