Donald Trump’s Presidency So Far: The Seven Executive Orders
Donald Trump has been in office just under two weeks, and during that time, the new president has signed seven official executive orders and released 11 memorandums to supplement his administration’s actions.
Since taking office, Trump has countered years of the Obama administration’s efforts with the stroke of his pen, targeting everything from Obamacare and temporarily suspending immigration and refugee acceptance from a handful of countries. The POTUS also issued an order concerning the building of a wall between the US and Mexico, as well as instructing the government to expedite the deportation of illegal immigrants. What follows is a more comprehensive look at each of Donald Trump’s executive orders.
January 20, 2017: Minimizing the Economic Burden of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Pending Repeal
The primary goal, as stated, is to reduce the burden on both the states and individuals that the Affordable Care Act may have imposed. While the order itself has very little specifics as to how that goal is to be accomplished, the official order emphasized numerous times the leeway to act according “to the maximum extent permitted by law.” This indicates Trump wants officials in charge of enforcing the ACA to be as lenient as possible when it comes to the expenses required to support the act. It does not actually overturn the legislation itself.
January 24, 2017: Expediting Environmental Reviews and Approvals for High-Priority Infrastructure Projects
The purpose of this order is to enhance business and industry by reducing the number of hoops commercial entities must jump through in regards to environmental regulations. However, the order mainly focuses on federal activities, rather than industry at large. This initial order may still open the door for looser regulations by the EPA, especially if Trump’s choice for the head of the EPA is able to maneuver effectively.
January 25, 2017: Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements
The Great Wall of America became a reality with this order. In it, Trump lays the groundwork necessary for the wall to be built. According to the executive order, the purpose of the action is to “secure the southern border of the United States through the immediate construction of a physical wall on the southern border, monitored and supported by adequate personnel so as to prevent illegal immigration, drug and human trafficking, and acts of terrorism.”
January 25, 2017: Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States
And this is the corollary to the previous executive order, the initiation of stronger measures for the deportation of illegal immigrants. While many believe this order covers the hiring of several thousand new border patrol officers, the language of the order contains no such message. It does, however, potentially target the so-called “sanctuary cities.” Donald Trump’s executive order states, “Ensure that jurisdictions that fail to comply with applicable Federal law do not receive Federal funds, except as mandated by law.” This could cut the amount of funding available to several cities significantly as they may be found in violation of law.
January 27, 2017: Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States
This is probably the most controversial of all Donald Trump’s executive orders so far. It prohibits immigration for 90 days from seven Muslim-majority countries mentioned in the Visa Waiver Program Improvement and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act of 2015. This act is one of the primary legal supports for this executive order. The order also stops refugees from Syria from entering the United States for 120 days.
January 28, 2017: Ethics Commitments by Executive Branch Employees
“Draining the Swamp” was one of the Donald Trump’s most popular campaign promises, and this order is part of the fulfillment of that claim. It places various bans ranging from five years to life, on various lobbyists from foreign governments and other types of lobbying. The peculiar phrasing may only cover lobbyists who were involved with the industry before joining the current administration.
January 30, 2017: Reducing Regulation and Controlling Regulatory Costs
This directive is aimed at reducing federal regulation on the start-up of new businesses. In essence, for every regulation the federal bureaucracy comes up with, they must remove two. It also will tighten Trump’s hold over the regulatory agencies.
So what are your thoughts on Donald Trump’s executive orders as president? Tell us what you think in the comments section below!
[Featured Image by Michael Reynolds – Pool/Getty Images]
