President-elect Donald Trump has big plans for border security when he takes office in January, and at least one expert thinks he may temporarily shut down the border while he gets his plans set into motion.
"He could probably shut down the border, declare that there’s an emergency… stop the entry of people until further notice," Alfonso Aguilar, a former chief of the U.S. Office of Citizenship and the Director of Hispanic Engagement at the American Principles Project, told Fox News Digital. "That I think in some shape or form, will be one of his first actions."
Unchecked illegal immigration is a big part of what got Trump elected, and voters are counting on him making good on his promises to get things back under control after record numbers of illegal immigrants were let into the country by the Biden administration.
Immigration became more important to voters after ICE began to bus migrants by the thousands to major cities and small towns across the country, where taxpayers paid to put them up in hotels and provide food and medical care.
Local resources in many jurisdictions were strained in dealing with the problem, and illegal immigration was also blamed for rumors that FEMA was running out of money after Hurricane Helene.
These may have been factors in why 75% of voters said border security was an important issue to them.
Trump could also implement procedures to deport large numbers of the illegal immigrants, especially if they have committed crimes.
"If you identify people who have criminal records, who have committed a crime, you have somehow find a way to expedite their removal," Aguilar said. "I would imagine that they have in place an expedited procedure to remove those individuals involved in crime."
Trump can also end the CHNV parole program that allows migrants from certain countries--Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela--to get Advance Travel Authorizations into the U.S. and be paroled into the country pending a court date, often with work authorization privileges once in the country.
"They can end that on Day 1," Aguilar said.
He also said catch-and-release policies would probably end.
Workforce raids, which have not been conducted for years, and the resumption of the Remain in Mexico policy may take longer to implement, but are likely to be on the table.
Hiring more immigration judges and resuming the building of the border wall may take legislation or action from Congress, but Trump has majorities in both houses for now.
