The Queens School of Inquiry (QSI) has a diverse student body with around 83 % of students identifying with a minority group and although the exact number is unknown, many of these students come from immigrant families. With Donald Trump’s recent win in the 2024 presidential election, many students could be impacted because he has promised to implement harsh immigration policies.
His severe proposed policies include mass deportation, removal of birthright citizenship, and the deployment of armed forces to detain undocumented immigrants. According to, The Hill, the number of people who could be affected by Trump’s plans is estimated to be about 12 million.
One of the key proposals from the Trump Administration to address immigration is the removal of birthright citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants. This policy would require at least one parent to be a U.S. citizen for a child to obtain citizenship. This proposed policy would not only negatively affect millions, it would also violate the 14th Amendment which states, “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”
The proposed mass deportation plans like having federal agencies like ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) could disrupt the lives of students and their families. Even if ICE doesn’t come for you, the fear of being detained at any time and at any moment may affect your emotional well-being.
Perhaps even more alarming is Trump’s use of military forces to purge undocumented immigrants. Although the US law bans the use of armed forces for domestic law enforcement, Trump’s people believe they can use the Insurrection Act to do so, saying it creates an exception to the law. The use of the Insurrection Act may cause massive uproar in society and fear because individuals may be detained and arrested by federal troops based on their appearance or perceived immigration status.
The consequences of Trump’s immigration policy will affect the millions of families and students who have been living in the US peacefully for many years now. This can heavily reduce QSI’s diversity because many students come from immigrant families. Immigration could have a broader impact, affecting school environments, student experiences, and future educational opportunities.
Ultimately, Trump’s harsh and severe immigration policy has the potential to create fear and divide in society. While many Americans believe that all Trump is doing is nothing more than fear mongering, his potential plans have already shown that he is serious about implementing his plans on the issue of immigration. From breaking the 14th amendment to remove the birthright of citizens to using armed forces for detainment and deportation, his policies could have an everlasting effect on not only QSI and its community, but the whole nation.
