The wall may be a fence in some places. And the ultimate fate of all of America’s undocumented immigrants is still not clear. But here are three Trump plans to look for in the first 100 days:
1. Deport millions
Trump has scaled back his mass-deportation target and now pledges to start by focusing on 2 million to 3 million with criminal records. Experts estimate that the real number of undocumented immigrants with records is lower. Meeting that target would require more enforcement agents, detention beds and immigration judges. “It is impossible to [remove] 2 million” during Trump’s first term without more resources, says John Sandweg, the former Acting Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
2. Reverse DACA
The President-elect could reverse Obama’s 2012 Executive Order that gave legal status to roughly 700,000 undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children. As a result, they would again be eligible for deportation and unable to get legal work permits.
3. Target sanctuary cities
The incoming President has vowed to restrict federal funds for cities where local authorities do not report undocumented immigrants. He could stop some grant funding unilaterally, a move several so-called sanctuary cities like New York and Chicago have pledged to resist.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Where Trump 2.0 Will Differ From 1.0
- How Elon Musk Became a Kingmaker
- The Power—And Limits—of Peer Support
- The 100 Must-Read Books of 2024
- Column: If Optimism Feels Ridiculous Now, Try Hope
- The Future of Climate Action Is Trade Policy
- FX’s Say Nothing Is the Must-Watch Political Thriller of 2024
- Merle Bombardieri Is Helping People Make the Baby Decision
Contact us at letters@time.com