Trump and the world: What lies ahead

President Donald J Trump has articulated a wide set of political and policy interests and picked an ideologically committed and personally loyal set of personnel to implement his agenda.

- Prashant Jha

WASHINGTON: As he sets out to roll his executive orders on Day 1, here is a look at five Trump priorities, the political context, and key individuals in that domain:

Immigration

Context: Immigration across America's southern border has a long history, but the surge in crossings under the Joe Biden presidency became one of the Democrats' biggest political liabilities. Trump's long-standing opposition to immigration carries two meanings for different audiences. To moderates, including legal immigrants, it appears as a reasonable call for secure borders and process. To racists and White supremacists, it represents a call to protect the nation from outsiders, often Brown, Black and Asian people.

Agenda: Trump's 2024 win can be partly attributed to anger over the rise in undocumented workers, struggling public infrastructure, perceived links between immigrants and crime, apparent Democratic weakness in enforcing border controls, and validation of Trump's promise to act against illegal immigrants. The form this immigration crackdown takes, its scope, law enforcement's capacity to sustain extreme measures without Congressional authorization, eventual Congressional approval, legal challenges, economic trade-offs, impact on immigrant communities, and international response will be recurring policy issues throughout his presidency.

Starting with a Day 1 executive order, expect what the incoming team calls a "shock and awe" operation of border closure, raids in major cities, and deportation of those with criminal records.

People: Stephen Miller, Trump's deputy chief of staff and homeland security adviser, Kristi Noem, secretary of the department of homeland security, and Tom Homan, the "border czar" leading immigration and customs enforcement (ICE), are Trump's key policy and operational drivers on border and immigration issues.

National security and diplomacy