During his inauguration speech last week, President Donald Trump made a multitude of promises that would be accomplished over the next four years and vowed to usher in a “golden age of America.” Several of these promises include declaring national emergencies on immigration and energy, bringing prices down, and instituting sweeping tariffs on foreign countries.
On the first day of his second term, President Trump signed 33 executive orders, some of which relate to border control and immigration.
Students across NIU’s campus have different concerns and hopes for Trump’s second term.
Regarding immigrants and Latino citizens in the US, freshman and special education major Mel Hayes said, “I’m just concerned that they’re not gonna get a chance to actually become citizens, and even if they are citizens, he’s not gonna care and they’re still gonna be kicked out of the country.”
Immigration has remained a pressing topic for many as mass deportations begin across the country. Since Jan. 21, ICE and Border Patrol agents have carried out major deportation raids beginning in Chicago, with the possibility of agents coming to NIU’s campus. Of the approximately 1,200 immigrant arrests made on Jan. 26, nearly half did not possess criminal records, despite President Trump claiming that criminals would be the main targets of the raids.
For others, the only important issue is the economy.
“I’m hoping gas prices lower. That’s about it,” said freshman computer science major and commuter Alexander Cumbo.
Others are more impacted by Trump’s rhetoric and views towards LGBTQ+ individuals.
“I’m very concerned about what he’s going to do for the LGBTQ+ community because I’m gay myself,” said Heyes. “I don’t really know what rights I’m still going to have by the end of this term.”
One student was also bothered by Trump’s policies regarding LGBTQ+ people, despite not watching the entire inauguration.
“I did catch the part where he was talking about gender and the whole female and male thing,” said senior English major Caroline Baumker. “‘Uncomfortable’ isn’t the right word, I don’t really know how to describe it, it’s just a really loaded thing. It just made me feel super icky.”