One Post, Instant Uproar
US President Donald Trump set off a fresh storm on Monday with a single message on his social media platform, Truth Social. ‘Sadly, when you bring people in from third world countries, you quickly become a third world country too… and there’s nothing you can do about it. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!’ he wrote. The line was enough to get everyone asking the obvious question — who exactly is in his crosshairs this time?
Who He Was Aiming At
The jab was clearly directed at people who arrive from abroad and settle in the United States. Opposition to illegal immigration has long been Trump's signature stance. He has repeatedly argued that bringing in people on a large scale — especially low-skilled workers — and handing them jobs creates hardship for ordinary Americans. In his view, it directly drags down wages for workers in the country. This thinking sits at the heart of his ‘America First’ agenda.
A Major Shake-Up of the H-1B Visa
The Trump administration has taken several steps in the name of curbing illegal immigration, and the most talked-about of them targeted the H-1B visa programme. The administration had proposed slapping a $100,000 application fee on the visa and replacing the existing lottery system with a selection process based on salary and skills. Recently, however, a court blocked that fee hike.
Tightening Both the Border and Legal Immigration
The US–Mexico border has been another central focus of Trump's immigration policy. He has insisted again and again that strong border control is essential to stop illegal crossings, drug trafficking and international crime. The push hasn't stopped at the border, though — the administration has also moved to harden the rules around legal immigration. A sweeping policy directive issued this year proposed that most temporary visa holders and people granted humanitarian parole living in the US would have to return to their home countries while waiting for green card approval.
