“All we really needed was a new president,” Donald Trump wryly noted in his recent address to Congress. He was talking about closing the border, which he and his team have achieved immense success in doing in short order. With the faucet turned off, so to speak, now the administration must turn its attention to mopping up the floor.

And oh, what a mess it is.

Yes, America is a welcoming place for immigrants, or at least that’s often citizens’ intent. Yes, many immigrants come here to work hard and build a better life for themselves and their families. Yes, the legal process is onerous, arguably prompting millions to circumvent it without further law-breaking intent.

We are, however, a nation of laws. Enforcing those laws may sometimes be unpleasant, not least because of the number of people involved. Let’s examine some numbers on that latter front.

• 2.8 million. Not long ago, the Census Bureau announced that it had counted nearly three million aliens (both legal and illegal) entering the U.S. from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris opened the border to an intentional invasion, so this isn’t surprising.

• 18.6 million. According to a new report by the Federation for American Immigration Reform, there are more than 18 million illegal aliens currently residing in the United States. That’s an 11% increase from its June 2023 report. Furthermore, “Since our December 2020 estimate, the illegal alien population in the United States has grown by 4.1 million, or 28.2 percent, reflecting an unprecedented wave of illegal immigration during the Biden administration.” This is a nationwide problem, too, in part because “sanctuary cities” attract migrants and because Team Biden shipped them across the country (all while Democrats caterwauled when Republicans sent busloads to, say, Martha’s Vineyard).

• 53.3 million. The latest report from the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) says, “The government’s January 2025 Current Population Survey (CPS) shows the foreign-born or immigrant population (legal and illegal together) hit 53.3 million and 15.8 percent of the total U.S. population in January 2025 — both new record highs.” The CIS calls this “uncharted territory,” exceeding even the “Great Wave” migration around the turn of the 20th century.

Being foreign-born is not the problem. Breaking and flouting our laws and then refusing to assimilate to America is.

Given the enormity of the problem, what can be done? As I noted, the first priority is to close the border. Trump didn’t need new legislation as Biden lied that he did; he just needed to enforce the law, which Biden steadfastly and openly refused to do.

Maybe just as important is the perception of enforcement. Biden undid all of Trump’s policies with much pomp and circumstance, sending a message to would-be migrants all over the world. Indeed, before he was elected, Biden literally said, “I would, in fact, make sure that there is — we immediately surge to the border all those people are seeking asylum.”

They heard him loud and clear.

By contrast, even between the time Trump was elected and when he took office, illegal border crossings fell because migrants determined the journey wasn’t worth the risk. Making clear that you will enforce the law means you’ll have to do so less often.

His latest effort is news that he plans to use the Alien Enemies Act of [checks notes] 1798 to facilitate deportations, primarily of members of the violent terrorist Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. According to CBS News, “The 227-year-old law gives presidents the extraordinary power to order the arrest, detention and deportation of noncitizens who are 14 years or older and come from countries staging an ‘invasion or predatory incursion’ of the U.S.”

Expect a court challenge from fans of the leftist-facilitated foreign invasion. Legally, they may have a good case since the U.S. is not literally at war anywhere right now. Still, this plays to the perception that Trump is using every possible tool to crack down on a crisis he did not create.

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