Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Ends Taxpayer Subsidization of Open Borders
February 19, 2025
Action Summary
- Preserving Federal Benefits for American Citizens:
- Executive Order halts taxpayer subsidies that incentivize or support illegal immigration.
- Mandates federal departments to review and cease programs providing financial benefits to illegal aliens.
- Prevents federal funds from supporting “sanctuary” policies and requires improved eligibility verification.
- Focus on protecting benefits for truly eligible groups such as disabled individuals and veterans.
- Highlighting the Fiscal Impact:
- Details significant taxpayer costs attributed to illegal immigration, citing multiple estimates.
- Highlights potential expenditures ranging from billions to hundreds of billions from federal, state, and local funds.
- References legislative frameworks like PRWORA and related challenges stemming from parole classifications.
- Securing the Border and Prioritizing American Interests:
- Declares a national emergency at the southern border and deploys additional military and National Guard forces.
- Reinitiates border wall construction and suspends entry of aliens, with enhanced vetting and screening measures.
- Revokes previous executive actions, terminates parole programs, ends catch-and-release policies, and pauses the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.
- Designates international cartels and criminal organizations as terrorist entities and resumes detention and removal of violators.
Risks & Considerations
- The Executive Order’s focus on ending taxpayer subsidization of illegal immigration could lead to stricter verification processes for federal benefits, potentially affecting students and staff at Vanderbilt University who are non-citizens or have complex immigration statuses.
- Changes in federal funding allocations to states and localities could impact public services and community programs that Vanderbilt University partners with or relies upon, particularly if these services are affected by reduced funding due to “sanctuary” policies.
- The emphasis on securing the border and prioritizing American citizens may influence the university’s international student recruitment and retention strategies, as well as its ability to support undocumented students or those with DACA status.
- Vanderbilt University may need to reassess its policies and support systems for students and staff who could be affected by changes in immigration enforcement and eligibility for federal benefits.
Impacted Programs
- Vanderbilt’s International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) may need to increase its support and advisory services for international students and scholars navigating changes in immigration policies and eligibility for federal benefits.
- The Office of Financial Aid might need to review its processes to ensure compliance with new eligibility verification requirements for federal aid and benefits.
- Community engagement initiatives that involve partnerships with local organizations could be impacted by changes in federal funding and support for programs serving immigrant communities.
- Research programs focusing on immigration policy, social justice, and public policy may find new opportunities to study the impacts of these executive actions and contribute to policy discussions.
Financial Impact
- Potential changes in federal funding allocations could affect grants and financial aid available to students, particularly those from immigrant backgrounds or with complex immigration statuses.
- Vanderbilt University may need to allocate additional resources to support services for affected students and staff, potentially impacting budget priorities.
- There may be increased demand for legal and advisory services to assist students and staff in navigating the implications of these executive actions on their immigration status and eligibility for benefits.
- Opportunities for research funding in areas related to immigration policy and its socio-economic impacts may arise, providing potential new avenues for academic inquiry and collaboration.
Relevance Score: 4 (The order presents a need for potential major changes or transformations of programs.)
Key Actions
- Vanderbilt’s Office of Federal Relations should monitor changes in federal funding policies, especially those related to immigration and sanctuary policies, to ensure compliance and assess potential impacts on university funding and operations.
- The Financial Aid Office should review and update eligibility verification processes for financial aid to ensure compliance with new federal mandates regarding benefits for individuals unlawfully present in the United States.
- Vanderbilt’s Law School could explore research opportunities on the legal implications of changes in immigration policies, particularly those affecting sanctuary cities and the rights of non-citizens, to contribute to scholarly discourse and policy development.
- The Department of Political Science should analyze the broader societal and economic impacts of the executive order on immigration, providing insights that could inform public policy and community engagement strategies.
Opportunities
- The executive order presents an opportunity for Vanderbilt’s Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions to engage in policy analysis and advocacy regarding the balance between federal and state powers in immigration enforcement and sanctuary policies.
- Vanderbilt can leverage its expertise in public policy and law to host forums and discussions on the implications of the executive order, positioning the university as a leader in the national conversation on immigration reform.
- The emphasis on securing federal benefits for American citizens could lead to increased funding opportunities for research and programs that align with federal priorities, which Vanderbilt can capitalize on through strategic grant applications.
Relevance Score: 4 (The order necessitates major process changes in compliance and funding strategies, impacting multiple areas of the university.)
Timeline for Implementation
- Immediate/As Soon as Practicable: The Executive Order, effective February 19, 2025, directs that several measures—such as halting funding for sanctuary policies, improving eligibility verification, resuming Migrant Protection Protocols, and ending certain programs—be implemented immediately or “as soon as practicable,” indicating an urgent timeline.
Relevance Score: 5
Impacted Government Organizations
- Department of Homeland Security (DHS): The Order directs DHS agencies to review federally funded programs and adjust benefit eligibility, as well as enforce immigration laws and border security measures.
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP): Specifically impacted with mandates such as ending the use of the CBP One app and enforcing stricter border entry protocols.
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): Previously allocated funds to programs benefiting illegal aliens, FEMA is now affected by the reallocation and termination of such subsidies.
- Department of Defense (DoD): Involved in the deployment of the Armed Forces and National Guard to bolster border security according to the Order.
- U.S. Department of State: With the pausing of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) and adjustments in international designations, the State Department is directly impacted.
- State and Local Governments: These entities are constrained by the Order’s directives to refrain from using federal funds to support sanctuary policies and related immigration benefits.
Relevance Score: 3 (Six government organizations are impacted by the order, placing it within the 6-10 range.)
Responsible Officials
- Federal Departments and Agencies – Tasked with identifying and reviewing all federally funded programs providing benefits to illegal aliens, improving eligibility verification, and ensuring that funds are not used to support sanctuary policies.
- State and Local Authorities – Instructed to ensure that Federal funds are not used to support policies that facilitate illegal immigration.
Relevance Score: 4 (Directives impact agency heads and high-level officials responsible for the implementation of major federal policy and funding oversight.)