Immigration: What to know about border security, US immigration policy and more

Immigration in theUnited States has become a controversial topic in the political arena. There are several steps one must take to become a U.S. citizen, which are outlined on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website. These steps include preparing an application for naturalization, paying fees, completing an interview and taking the oath of allegiance to the United States.

PresidentDonald Trump and his administration prioritized securing the border and cracking down on the millions ofundocumented immigrants already living in the country. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is the federal agency responsible for enforcing immigration laws. Since beginning his second term in theWhite House, Trump has worked to initiate the deportation of undocumented immigrants.

Thousands of people gathered in downtownLos Angeles for protest demonstrations over immigration. The scene turned from peaceful to violent as rising unrest prompted police to deploy tear gas. The Los Angeles immigration protests were among other nationwide protests against federal immigration raids conducted by ICE agents. California Gov.Gavin Newsom has continued to blame Trump for the escalating protests, claiming that they were peaceful demonstrations before theNational Guard and Trump's rhetoric intensified the conflict.

“Alligator Alcatraz,” the nation's newest detention facility for undocumented immigrants, is located in the Florida Everglades and surrounded by swampland teeming with alligators and pythons. Florida Gov.Ron DeSantis authorized the construction of the detention center on a 30-square-mile property in the swamplands ofMiami-Dade County under an emergency order in June 2025. The property, a former airport, has been outfitted with sturdy tent structures to house 5,000 undocumented immigrants amid the Trump administration's deportation blitz to remove the millions of migrants who entered the country during theBiden administration.