January 24
This week in MORE POWER:
Citizenship Shakeup
The Great Deportation
Global Withdrawals
The Gender Divide
Diversity Diverted
President Trump took office on Monday, signing 32 executive orders so far. This is a special edition of MORE POWER detailing several of these orders. Some of the policies will need the support of Congress for funding and implementation. You can use 1000 MORE to track legislation moving through Congress, contact your elected officials, and crowdfund advocacy on bills.
Citizenship Shakeup
Immediately following the inauguration on Monday, President Trump signed 26 executive orders, among which was an executive order to end birthright citizenship. The 14th Amendment of the Constitution guarantees that if you are born in the U.S. or a territory, you are a citizen — regardless of your parents’ immigration statuses. Trump’s order says not everyone born in the U.S. will receive birthright citizenship; instead, parents’ immigration statuses will be determining factors.
However, executive orders cannot change the Constitution. The only way to change the Constitution is if at least 38 states ratify the change. So far, 22 states and two cities filed lawsuits challenging this order, and a federal judge has already temporarily struck the order down, calling it "blatantly unconstitutional.”
The Great Deportation
On his first day, President Trump declared a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border, halting people from entering the country. Additionally, he said he will use the Alien Enemies Act to facilitate mass deportations. This law allows presidents to decide whether and how all foreign nationals from a specific country should be removed or detained. The U.S. used the Alien Enemies Act to detain Japanese-Americans in internment camps during World War II. Trump said he plans to use it to eliminate the “foreign gangs and criminal networks” in the U.S. Under this law, those facing deportation or detainment will not receive immigration hearings.
The Pentagon began sending 1,500 troops to the border this week, with more possibly on the way in the coming weeks. Additionally, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) began raids this week, arresting more than 500 undocumented immigrants and deporting “hundreds,” according to the White House.
Global Withdrawals
President Trump withdrew the U.S. from the Paris Agreement, which is an international treaty among member countries to reduce carbon emissions, which contribute to global warming. Member countries, including France, Brazil, and China, signed the treaty in 2016 when former President Barack Obama was in office. Trump withdrew the U.S. during his first presidency, and former President Joe Biden rejoined. The U.S., along with Iran, Libya and Yemen, are now the only countries in the United Nations that are not a part of the Paris Agreement.
Additionally, Trump withdrew the U.S. from the World Health Organization (WHO), saying that the WHO did not handle the COVID-19 pandemic properly. The WHO said it regrets Trump’s decision, which will make Americans less safe from disease.
The Gender Divide
President Trump signed an executive order that stated that the federal government will only recognize two genders: male and female. The order proclaims that these genders are dictated by biological sex assigned at birth and cannot be changed. It will force the State Department and Department of Homeland Security to require that all identification issued by the federal government, such as passports, match people’s biological sex assigned at birth. Previously, Americans have been able to have an “X” marked in the gender category on their passports; this marker provided a clear choice for nonbinary people, as well as people who were born intersex, meaning their bodies do not fit male nor female definitions.
Diversity Diverted
This week, federal workers received emails that demanded they report if they suspect that another worker’s job is somehow related to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion – or DEI; if they fail to do so, they were warned that there may be consequences. This is because President Trump signed an executive order that will end all DEI offices and positions in the federal government.
In the executive order, Trump also targeted DEI initiatives in hiring for the federal government by making any consideration of gender or race illegal. This means that any attempt to purposefully create more diversity in the federal government is now illegal.
What Congress Passed
H.R.186 Hershel Woody Williams National Medal of Honor Monument Location Act
H.R.187 Modernizing Access to our Public Waters Act
H.R.197 Lake Winnibigoshish Land Exchange Act
H.R.165 Wounded Knee Massacre Memorial and Sacred Site Act
H.R.21 Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act
