Local reactions to President Trump's executive orders on immigration

SALT LAKE CITY – As President Trump made good on his campaign promises about the immigration crisis with several executive orders, protesters gathered at the Utah State Capitol, and reactions poured in. During his inauguration address, President Trump pledged to declare a national emergency at the U.S.–Mexico Border, halt illegal entries, reinstate his “remain in Mexico” policy, end the practice of “catch and release,” send troops to the Southern border, designate cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, and invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to “eliminate the presence of all foreign gangs and criminal networks” in U.S cities.

Social media response

On social media, Utah’s congressional delegation in Washington, D.C. expressed its support for President Trump's efforts “to secure the border.” Senator John Curtis said on X, “it’s a moment marked by high expectations from the American people…”

“In America, impossible is what we do best.” Congratulations to President @realDonaldTrump and Vice President @JDVance on being sworn into office! I look forward to this new chapter in America’s history—a moment marked by high expectations from the American people to restore our… pic.twitter.com/KwvYPX4bKZ — Senator John Curtis (@SenJohnCurtis) January 20, 2025

And in a reposting on the executive orders, Senator Mike Lee said, “outstanding action on the border and criminal illegals by President Trump. This is just the beginning!” Senator John Curtis later posted on X about a new bill named after Laken Riley, a Georgia nursing school student who was murdered last year by an undocumented immigrant, according to NBC News. “Our immigration system is broken, and it has caused a lot of pain and worry for people across the country. I was pleased to join a bipartisan group in passing the Laken Riley Act—a smart and focused law that will help protect families and stop tragedies like Laken Riley’s murder from happening again,” John Curtis posted. Rep. Celeste Maloy posted on X from Washington D.C., calling to "restore America's place on the world stage."

I’m optimistic that this new chapter in American life will be marked by greater freedom and opportunity. Let’s get to work to secure our border, remove burdensome regulations, unleash innovation and prosperity, and restore America’s place on the world stage. pic.twitter.com/zlDoHctM2y — Rep. Celeste Maloy (@RepMaloyUtah) January 20, 2025

Rep. Burgess Owens reposted Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s post on the installation of more buoys in the Rio Grande to “stop illegal immigration.”

Protest at the Capitol

Meanwhile, at the State Capitol, between 300-400 people gathered in protest of President Trump on a range of issues, including his immigration policies. “We want to defend immigrant communities. We stand in solidarity with their safety,” said Adrian Lambrinos, from the Party for Socialism and Liberation and one of the event’s organizers. “We believe these to be an attack, a deliberate attack on a portion of the working class that is very valuable and necessary.”

Concern over immigration orders

Immigration Attorney Jonathan Shaw also said his office was flooded with calls from concerned and confused immigrants – many of whom were requesting asylum in the United States – about the impact of the executive orders on their cases. “People are a little bit nervous,” Shaw said. “They think that the whole world has changed and their outlook for becoming legal or obtaining a green card or citizenship in the country might be different now, so we are just helping them understand the new processes and watching for executive orders that might be signed.” Within hours of President Trump’s inauguration, migrants at southwest border entries started receiving alerts that their immigration appointments through the federal government's CBP One app, the portal used by asylum-seekers, were canceled as the app was shut down. While the majority of Trump’s executive orders, outlined on Monday, target criminal activity and policies at the U.S.–Mexico Border, Shaw said there is also a growing fear in undocumented communities that wider-reaching actions will follow. “There’s a lot of fear of people that feel like they’re going to get caught up in the system,” Shaw said. “Even if people are here documented, they have a work authorization, they’re waiting for an immigration court hearing date. Yet they’re still scared to move about, go to work, that type of thing.” According to estimates provided by the Utah Department of Public Safety, more than 79,000 undocumented immigrants live in Utah.

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