TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Stacey Shrader Joslin on Jan 23, 2025

Since taking office on Monday, President Donald Trump has signed a range of executive orders on immigration, diversity and criminal justice. Immigration orders included declaring a national emergency on the U.S.-Mexico border; designating Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations; reinstating the "Remain in Mexico" policy for asylum seekers; sending troops to the southern border; and suspending refugee resettlements for four months. The Associated Press looks at these and other immigration actions. Trump also signed orders rescinding Biden edicts that put a government-wide DEI apparatus in place and directing the attorney general to review DEI initiatives in the private sector, state and local bar associations and certain institutions of higher education. Bloomberg Law has more on those actions. Two bar association presidents commented on the order to Reuters. Finally, a number of orders will impact the justice system, including reinstating and expanding the federal death penalty and lifting a ban on federal contracts with privately run detention facilities.