WASHINGTON — In his first five months back in office, President Donald Trump has prioritized law enforcement and border security through a series of high-profile executive actions. However, Trump’s early actions during his second term reveal a complex approach to supporting law enforcement.
In January, he issued pardons and commutations for individuals charged or convicted in connection with the January 6 Capitol breach, describing them as “political prisoners” and vowing to “restore justice.” The move drew criticism from many in the law enforcement community.
At the same time, Trump has intensified immigration enforcement through a series of executive actions aimed at expanding the reach and authority of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). His April executive order, Strengthening and Unleashing America’s Law Enforcement, directs federal agencies to “maximize enforcement of immigration laws,” remove obstacles that “hamstring” ICE, and increase interior enforcement operations targeting repeat offenders and gang-affiliated noncitizens.
The order also calls for harsher penalties for crimes against police officers and additional federal support for state and local law enforcement.
On June 6, Trump issued several executive orders to boost drone security and streamline operations. His directive calls on the FAA to fast-track approvals for beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) drone operations while implementing new safeguards to protect against terrorism, espionage and threats to public safety.
Police1 wants to know: As Trump approaches six months into his second term, how would you rate his performance on supporting law enforcement and public safety? Please complete the poll below.
Poll participants address public safety priorities for President Trump
- There needs to be more assistance for state law enforcement from the federal government. Most of the federal money goes to local police agencies. Strengthening state law enforcement is much needed in this country.
- Resign. His pardon of January 6 insurrectionists who assaulted officers is a slap in the face to the entire profession, as well as a direct contradiction of his oath of office.
- Get rid of sanctuary cities.
- I am very happy with what he has done so far! He needs to keep law and order going! Needs to work on tax breaks for law enforcement, I think our putting our lives on the line is tax enough!
- Healthcare for retired members.
- Training for officers. Get FBI, USMS, ATF to place high priority on training local police to improve their effectiveness in combating crime.
- I would like to see pay parity across the board for federal law enforcement officers. Right now, you have FBI, HSI and other agencies making GS-13 wages while working alongside ICE officers who are still at the GS-12 pay grade. By upping their pay grade to GS-13, ICE officers will feel equally as important as their GS-13 counterparts, which will also serve as a morale boost for them. Also, take away the SCAAP funding for jails that won’t honor ICE detainers!
- More equipment and training directed towards smaller agencies.
- In regard to immigration, deport on a tiered system. Prioritize offenders in county jail and on any wanted list. Go through the state and federal prisons, but keep those listed as terrorists. Then go through those with felony convictions and from countries listed as hostile to the United States. Raiding businesses, farms and public places should not be a priority.
- Make sure dangerous suspects remain in jail and are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. OK the 218 law that allows officer retired to carry firearms anywhere in the United States.
- I love that he’s sending backup via NG. Follow up on grants to ensure receiving juristictions don’t just shift that amount of money from local funding, leaving LEOs at status quo. Push updated HR218 through. Ask for modification to HR218 so retired LEOs do NOT have to have testing/training beyond what is required of civilian CC. You currently have older retired LEOs who physically can’t meet the requirements in some states and/or cost is excessive.
- I want to see officers receive the protections they need to perform the job. No other job can an individual perform perfectly and still be sued or prosecuted when they follow all the rules and laws. No other group of people can be so politically persecuted and receive actual loss of freedoms and punishments. It is time to trust law enforcement. The ones who shout the loudest are unwilling to do the job, yet claim they would do better. We need to remove the expectation of perfection and bring the understanding of reality. Protect our police. Make it a federal felony to attack, as well as obstruct, law enforcement. That includes pursuits, which put everyone at risks. Also, we need to stop blaming police when they are trying to do SOMETHING. If they are chasing someone, people say it is the officers’ fault when the criminal causes damage, but it is the criminal. Hold them accountable. We need protections from being charged for damages that are not our fault.
- I would like to see President Trump push for Congress to pass the Law Enforcement Officers Equity Act which will put all federal LEOs on the same pay, retirement scale and protections.
- Clean up the executive branch of federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies, end the two-tier prosecution system, reestablish trust in LE again.
- Stomp the fight against qualified immunity, and make it permanent, so it cannot be removed. Mandate better firearms training for officers and then provide money to the smaller departments for that training. Too many departments only shoot when they qualify each year. Provide better healthcare coverage to officers when they retire.
- Qualified immunity. Many LEOs do not want to jump in because they are worried about prosecution from liberal Prosecutors and Judges
- I would like to finally see revisions to LEOSA and get it out of committee and be signed by the president.
- Stronger actions against all humans threatening, assaulting law enforcement.
- Continue making any crimes against law enforcement officers a priority for keeping violators off our streets that will also help ensure public safety.
- I would like Trump to legalize marijuana for first responders.
- Putting lawbreakers in jail or prison, especially those who injure or kill police officers.
- Get tough on crime. Get back to the days when theft was an arrestable offense.
- Continue efforts to control illegal immigration and the burden it places on law enforcement resources, social services, medical and education services. Remove politics from the civil rights division of FBI/DOJ so officers get a fair shake when accused of civil rights/use of force abuses. Provide funding for and promote joint federal/state/local task forces and federal training of state/local investigators.
- He has successfully ended the chaos at the border that his predecessor failed to do. But the deportation of illegal aliens who are otherwise law-abiding people to impoverished and tyrannical countries, and retraction of Visas for students and migrants who came legally, without due process, must end. His unqualified cabinet picks for DHS, DOD, CDC and his demand for fealty instead of experience endangers the nation. And renaming military bases for those who defended slavery is a slap in the face to Black soldiers who serve.
- More of the same! My agency is no longer being used to target political opponents, as I believe it was during the last administration. Also, sealing the border along with stopping the flow of drugs, criminal gangs and human trafficking victims into our country reduces crime without any additional burden or infringement of the rights of law-abiding Americans.
- Stop pardoning criminals or do more research on pardons. Focus on support of LE so society grows trust. Avoid dragging LE into controversial decisions.
- Higher pay and more police officers nationwide.
- Hold the judges and lawyers accountable for the violent criminals they release back into the streets to re-offend.
- I think he is right to move forward with deportations of illegal immigrants and certainly right in sending in the National Guard, Marines, or whoever to bring peace to the region. I don’t care what your badge or patch says, if you need help, you don’t care where it comes from. I’ll go so far as to say that if ICE locates someone who may not have all the proper documentation to prove they are here legally, but they can prove that they are gainfully employed, paying taxes, paying bills, etc., then let them stay and start them on the process to become legal.
- We’re still waiting to see if he’s really not going to charge taxes for first responder overtime.
- People today struggle with trusting their law enforcement departments that serve them. People should be informed and intentions should be clear. We owe that to the people we serve. Integrity, transparency and clear enforcement objectives. These are the things the Trump administration and all LE agencies need to fix to build trust back with our communities. Targeting illegal immigrants through ICE raids will only continue to divide our nation. It’s not what he is doing, but rather how he’s doing it. Every president before him has deported people. There is a better approach for sure.
| ADDITIONAL POLICE1 ANALYSIS:
- What Trump’s executive order delivers for law enforcement
- What Trump’s executive order on law enforcement signals for the future of AI in policing
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