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Panic grips immigrants as Trump returns to office as US President

DONALD Trump was sworn in as the 47th President of the United States on January 20, 2025, marking his return to the White House after losing the presidency to Joe Biden in 2020. 

The inauguration ceremony, held in the Capitol Rotunda due to freezing weather conditions, is attended by political leaders, including Joe Biden, Kamala Harris and Barack Obama, allies, and thousands of supporters.

His second term comes amid an atmosphere of panic, particularly among the immigrant community who now face the brunt of his ‘harsh’ immigration policy.

Trump’s return caps off one of the most contentious and unprecedented political comebacks in US history.

The ICIR reports that Trump’s path to re-election was fraught with legal and political challenges. In 2024, he was convicted of concealing a “hush money” payment aimed at suppressing a scandal during his 2016 campaign. 

Trump also faced more than 30 counts related to business fraud, incitement of the January 6 attack on Congress, his attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election result in Georgia and his retention of classified records.

The trial began on April 15 and was consequently found guilty of falsifying business records to pay back his attorney, Michael Cohen, for a $130,000 payment made to porn star Stormy Daniels the night before the 2016 election, after her claim to have had sex with him, which could have been disastrous for his campaign at the time.

Daniels claimed she had an affair with Trump in 2006. Although Trump denied the affair, he admitted directing his one-time lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen, to pay the actress $130,000 for her silence.

But despite the felony conviction, he was elected as the US president for the second term, which made him the first U.S. president-elect with such a record.

This was aside from the two assassination attempts on his life, the first of which occurred in July 2024 when he was shot in the right ear during a political rally. He was rushed off stage by the Secret Service immediately after the shooting.

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The second attempt on his life was reportedly carried out on Sunday, September 15 while he was golfing on his course in West Palm Beach, Florida.

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the investigation is underway while the suspect was caught by the Secret Service agent after he was spotted and fired in bushes near the property line of the golf course.

During his electioneering, Trump pledged to end the rivalry between Russia and Ukraine if re-elected, noting that he had a “very good call” with the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, where they had negotiations on how to end the conflict between Kyiv and Moscow.

Trump also promised to launch “the largest domestic deportation operation in American history,” and a 2024 Republican platform called for targeting millions of undocumented immigrants. 



He noted that he would overhaul the federal government, and introduce significant tariffs that could potentially increase prices.

One of the most controversial points of his policy agenda is getting “transgender insanity out of our schools,” rhetoric that he more often used as a political tool than a policy platform




     

     

    The new leader had held a rally at the Capital One Arena in Washington the previous night and delivered a broad-ranging speech to his supporters. He pledged to address illegal immigration, grant pardons to Capitol rioters, and temporarily lift restrictions on TikTok.

    He acknowledged the video-sharing platform’s role in helping him connect with younger voters, stating, “Frankly, we have no choice. We have to save it.”

    Trump’s inauguration took place against the backdrop of wildfires raging across Los Angeles and other parts of California. 

    The fires have caused widespread destruction, leaving many residents displaced and sparking debates over state and federal disaster management. 

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    Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: umustapha@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M

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