“The Golden Age begins now...During every single day of the Trump administration, I will simply put America first.”
Those were the first words from President Donald Trump as he spoke at his inauguration on January 20, 2025.
Trump's 'America first' mantra is a large part of what attracted Americans to his campaign in 2016, and again in 2024. Trump has said what so many of his predecessors would not—and the message of making our country and our citizens our priority, rather than foreign interests, resonated with American voters, particularly in Alabama, where Trump received 1,457,704 votes, representing 65% of the state's November 5, 2024, election.
As he addressed the country for the first time as president in his second term, Trump reiterated that message just before he outlined a series of executive orders he will sign that are expected to have dramatic impacts on illegal immigration.
“National unity is now returning to America. We will not forget our country, not forget our Constitution and we will not forget our God. And I will declare a national emergency at our southern border. All illegal entry will immediately be halted and we will begin the process of returning millions and millions of criminal aliens to the places from which they came. I will reinstate my 'remain in Mexico' policy. I will end the practice of birthright citizenship and will designate cartels as foreign terrorist organizations.”
The effect of Trump's day one executive orders, he explained, is to impose a massive crackdown on illegal immigration. And it's a crackdown that will involve our nation's military for enforcement.
Trump's inauguration speech reiterated his day one commitment to close America's borders to illegal entry. And while this comes as welcome news to Americans who believe our country has become a revolving door for illegal entry, it could also have an immediate impact in the labor force in states including Alabama.
According to the American Immigration Council, immigrants comprise 5.1% of Alabama's overall work force, and 12.1% of Alabama's construction industry.
The question yet to be answered is how many of those working immigrants have legal alien status in the U.S. And for those who don't, their exits could come rapidly, and en masse.
Among the President's immigration-related executive orders are the declaration of the United States' southern border as a national emergency, resuming construction of the U.S.-Mexico border wall, reinstating the 'remain in Mexico' policy that requires migrants to remain in Mexico while waiting for their asylum hearings, ending asylum which will accelerate the deportation process, designating cartels as terrorist organizations and attempting to end birthright citizenship, which recognizes those born on American soil as American citizens at birth. The legal status of the newborn's parents is not a consideration in how the 14th Amendment has been interpreted.
Additionally, although he did not address it in his speech, Trump plans a moratorium on all refugee entry into the U.S., for 120 days or more.
How these executive orders will impact the country, the state of Alabama and Franklin County remain to be seen.
Of Russellville City Schools' approximate 2,500 students, more than 57% are classified as Hispanic. Many of those students were born in the United States. But for those whose parents may be undocumented aliens, their futures in Russellville remain uncertain.
The school system, and the local population, experienced a decline in Hispanic numbers in 2012, after the Alabama Legislature passed HB56, described as the country's strictest, sweeping immigration law. At that time, Alabama's undocumented population was estimated to be around 120,000. As illegals left the state, taking their children with them, revenue received by public school systems declined as a result of the drop in enrollment, something that could happen again in the coming months.
The crackdown on illegal immigration federally has trickled down to the state level, where several bills have been pre-filed that would impact illegal aliens if the bills become law.
--HB3 would impose enhanced sentences for illegal aliens convicted of a felony offense. Any felony conviction for an illegal alien would involve sentencing at the next highest level of felony. And illegal aliens convicted of Class A felonies, Alabama's most serious classification, would face prison sentences of 15 years to life. Additionally, illegal aliens convicted of misdemeanor offenses with a victim who is a minor, would be punished for a Class C felony.
--HB7 would allow state and local law enforcement agencies to enter into agreements with the U.S. Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security or other federal agencies for the purpose of enforcing federal immigration laws as well as the detention, removal and investigation of illegal aliens in Alabama.
Additionally, state and local agencies would be required to state and local government employees to maintain information relating to the immigration status of any individual and to transport an illegal alien to the custody of the federal government. And local and state agencies would be required to honor immigration detainer requests issued by Homeland Security.
--HB16 would make it a crime to give a false date of birth to a law enforcement officer in the course of the officer's official duty. The bill would also require an individual an officer suspects is committing a crime to provide name, address and date of birth, as well as 'an explanation of the individual's actions.'
