Monday, January 20, Donald Trump was sworn in for his second term as president. Through his executive orders, he immediately began aggressively sowing chaos.
A major element of President Trump’s agenda is his cruel immigration policy. As FCNL’s Anika Forrest put it, “The immigration system desperately needs informed, modern solutions that establish safe, effective management of the border, [and] sensible pathways. None of [these] executive actions, nor the promised future orders, ensure that security.”
President Trump shut down refugee admissions and asylum. He declared a national emergency which opened the door to sending soldiers to the border. The administration also is attempting to end birthright citizenship, which a federal judge has temporarily blocked, declaring it “blatantly unconstitutional.”
The Trump administration opened up certain protected areas—such as churches, school, and hospitals— to immigration arrests and may target charities aiding migrants with food and shelter. All this spreads fear and divides communities.
That is not the only way that the Trump administration has already caused damage.
It has paused all foreign assistance for 90 days. This will have many negative impacts, but most importantly it will hurt local peacebuilders.
Peacebuilders like Tarig Ahmed in Darfur or Hervé Mbouri in the Democratic Republic of Congo depend on U.S. support to build nonviolent conflict resolution institutions in unstable places.
Peacebuilding is very cost-effective by reducing violence and building stability. To build a more prosperous and safer world – and a more prosperous and safer US – we need to invest in these programs.
President Trump has launched other discouraging initiatives, from attacking our values of diversity, equity and inclusion to pulling out of the Paris Climate Agreement and the World Health Organization.
Still, as FCNL’s Lauren Brownlee reflected, “We do not lose hope in the face of challenges because our faith gives us the strength to be patient.”
With our focus on the 119th Congress, we will lobby to limit the damage done by the Trump administration and keep working toward the world we seek.
Elsewhere
Two Immediate Actions on Migration
Immigrants and immigrant communities are under attack now. We are holding them in the Light and lobbying Congress to make our country a more welcoming place.
Here are two ways you can take immediate action:
-
Our communities are damaged by lies about migrants and xenophobia. That is why we have launched a storytelling project to counter their dehumanization. Our politics will not change until we can drown out negative stories with positive ones. If you have any experience, work or volunteer with immigrants in your community, or feel otherwise compelled to tell your story, please share with us.
-
We have compiled, and continually update, resources so you can know your rights as an immigrant and defend against mass deportation threats. Check out the resources at fcnl.org/kyr and share them with your community.
Ceasefire Holds in Gaza while Violence Increases in West Bank
Although a temporary ceasefire is in place in Gaza, violence in the West Bank is steeply escalating. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that a new military operation is underway in the West Bank. Meanwhile, Israeli military officials says that they are applying lessons learned in Gaza to ensure “terrorism does not return.” We are also seeing a spike in Jewish settler attacks on Palestinian villages in the West Bank.
The Gaza ceasefire remains very delicate. The United States must do all it can to ensure it is respected by all parties and escalations do not continue to expand elsewhere.
Registration Open for Spring Lobby Weekend 2025!
Join us at Spring Lobby Weekend, our yearly young adult lobbying conference! We will lobby Congress to prevent millions of people from losing healthcare and food assistance. From March 22-25 we will advocate for a country that supports the potential of each person and prioritizes every person’s health and safety.
