Immigration has been an integral part of America’s identity since we gained independence. Immigration policies affect every corner of the “melting pot” that our nation is known as. And as our nation develops, policies surrounding immigration have become a highly controversial political debate that has been handled differently throughout various presidential administrations. The leaders the American people choose to represent us also shape how our policies unfold, which has led to real human consequences.
Obama
Under former President Barack Obama, immigration enforcement created a prioritization system that told agents to focus first on people considered threats to national or public safety.
Rather than pursuing everyone without lawful status, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) encouraged agents to direct their limited resources toward people with serious criminal convictions. For example, recent border crossers and those who posed clear security threats, such as terrorism or gang involvement, were a higher priority.
At the same time, officers were advised to use prosecutorial discretion, which meant they could decide against removal in lower-risk cases. Instead, they could consider factors like community ties or family hardship when determining deportation. This helped reduce the number of actions involving people with only minor offenses or strong community ties.
Obama removed more than 3 million noncitizens, including removals and returns, during his term. Some say that this was far too many and people were being wrongfully displaced, even with this priority approach, while others think it successfully balanced unlawful immigration.
During his administration, Obama created the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. This program allowed those who met a specific criteria gain work authorization and protection from deportation. Some criteria consisted of entering the U.S. before the age of 16, being below the age of 31 on June 15, 2012 and maintaining a clean legal record.
DACA became one of the most influential immigration policies of the Obama era by allowing a generation of immigrants to continue calling America their home.
Trump 2016
When Donald Trump first became president in 2016, his administration upended the prioritization system.
One of Trump’s earliest decisions was signing an executive order, Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States. The order broadly redefined immigration enforcement policies so that virtually anyone without lawful status became eligible for removal. The Trump leadership expanded enforcement categories and gave them equal priority status, meaning serious crimes and minor infractions were treated as equal penalties. This effectively rendered the idea of a priority system meaningless.
For people living in immigrant communities, that change was not just bureaucratic. Workplace arrests, increased interior enforcement operations and the fear of being picked up from home, work or school events became part of daily conversations in many neighborhoods.
Supporters of the 2016 approach argued that strong enforcement was necessary to uphold immigration laws and act as a deterrent to unlawful entry. But many officials and legal advocates said that stretching enforcement that wide sapped resources from more serious threats and created fear among families with deep community ties.
Biden
Former President Joe Biden’s administration arrived with a promise to return to a more targeted enforcement approach, similar to Obama’s strategy. In 2021, DHS rescinded the expansive interior enforcement memos from the Trump era and issued new guidance emphasizing national security, serious criminal history and recent unlawful entry. These topics became top enforcement priorities. Officers were instructed to implement prosecutorial discretion and consider mitigating factors.
Across communities, this meant fewer workplace checks and fewer actions against long-term residents with no serious offenses. However, it was noted that on-the-ground practices did not always match the guidelines. In Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) data, many of the enforcement actions were falsely labeled as priorities. This made people question the consistency of the administration’s actions and whether they truly meant the promises they had made.
Even with clearer priorities, the Biden administration tried to steer enforcement back toward the measured approach of the Obama years. However, the gaps and inconsistencies left many families worried about what may happen next.
Trump 2025
Donald Trump’s return to the White House in 2025 has put immigration enforcement back at the heart of political controversy. The federal directive, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, broadened enforcement of immigration laws and called for the removal of all individuals without citizenship. This rolled back narrower priority categories and shifted authority back toward a wide-net approach rather than a targeted prioritization.
The current shift has alarmed immigrant rights groups, legal experts and local leaders. The latter warns that casting such a wide net risks uprooting individuals who have built lives, raised families and are hardworking members of American communities.
As part of Operation Metro Surge, federal immigration agents have carried out large-scale enforcement actions in the Twin Cities and the surrounding area. These raids in Minneapolis have turned deadly, igniting national outrage as longtime community members are caught in the crossfire. In early 2026, a Minneapolis woman, Renee Nicole Macklin Good, was shot and killed by an ICE agent during an enforcement operation in South Minneapolis. She was a U.S. citizen and a mother of two. Her murder has drawn protests and raised questions about the use of force and accountability in DHS.
Another Minneapolis resident, ICU nurse Alex Pretti, was fatally shot by a border patrol agent during a related federal immigration action, prompting further demonstrations and renewed debate over the role and tactics of immigration enforcement agents. These events have caused intensified scrutiny of the administration’s aggressive enforcement and heightened tensions between federal agencies and local communities.
As enforcement escalates, families and communities are voicing growing concerns over unpredictable federal actions and the toll on trust and safety for Americans who fall outside the narrow definition of who the Trump administration considers “truly” American.
The Impact
Across decades and administrations, immigration policies are never simple laws; for decades, they have shaped families, schools, workplaces and the lives of those who call this country home. Families live with the constant uncertainty of being torn apart, children grow up in fear and communities brace for actions that can happen without warning. The deaths and injuries in Minneapolis are a reminder that enforcement is not just policy on paper; these policies affect lives and can be devastating.
If you ever encounter ICE, it is crucial to know that everyone in the United States has constitutional rights, regardless of immigration status. You can choose to remain silent if approached by officers, and you do not have to answer questions about your immigration status. If an ICE agent comes to your home, you do not have to open the door unless they have a warrant signed by a judge, not just an ICE form.
Knowing your rights will not erase the fear many people feel, but knowing your rights can help protect your voice in moments of great stress.
In an era where policy can change drastically with each administration, the courage of individuals and communities lies in staying informed and supporting one another by refusing to let fear define daily lives.