The number of illegal arrivals dropped to one-quarter of the 2023 total in fiscal 2025. Only 691,906 people arrived at the border last year. None of those individuals were released into the interior of the country. This marks a sharp shift from the previous administration’s approach.
President Trump ended the mass parole programs that brought in nearly 3 million people. The Department of Homeland Security detained and prosecuted those who arrived illegally. Following the 1996 enactment of the last major immigration reform law, this change occurred. Border results now depend on the White House rather than Congress.
The Three Ds Return
Joe Biden’s team relied on processing and releasing aliens quickly into the country. The current administration revived the strategy of deterrence, detention, and deportation. Activist groups challenged the government’s right to hold these individuals. They argued that staying in the country long enough earned a right to a new process.
The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected that argument on Tuesday. The court ruled that the plaintiff aliens “have received the process due to unadmitted aliens.” It also found that “procedural due process does not require bond hearings centered on assessing dangerousness and flight risk.” This means the government does not need to explain every detention to a judge.
Officials are also ramping up visa vetting for countries with high fraud rates. They are enforcing the Public Charge rule to stop indigent aliens from using benefits. Consular officers are checking documents more strictly before anyone arrives.
State Tax Wins
Voters in North Carolina approved a cap on personal and corporate income taxes. The measure passed with 61.2 percent of the vote to limit future hikes. The state’s 2027 personal income tax rate is expected to drop to 3.49 percent. Corporate taxes will stand at just 2 percent before being eliminated by 2030.
Iowa voters passed a constitutional amendment requiring a two-thirds majority to raise taxes. In 2025, a flat personal income tax rate of 3.8 percent was introduced, and this follows that. Free market think tanks praised the reform. The Buckeye Institute argued that “Iowa’s economy is becoming more competitive because of the flat tax.”
Florida voters approved property tax reforms with 62 percent of the vote. The new amendment increases the exemption on primary residences to $250,000. Other homes see their maximum annual increase in assessed values halved by this measure as well. This move signals strong support for keeping local tax burdens low.
Libertarian Concerns
Christian Britschgi from Reason Magazine noted that rolling back property taxes “can be a tricky issue for libertarians to parse.” He explained that the “wisdom of a property tax cut” depends on how local governments handle the lost revenue. Property taxes are generally seen as the least damaging tax on economic behavior.
Despite some tax wins, the political landscape remains difficult for low-tax advocates. The Department of Justice has investigated companies for discriminating against Americans. They look for firms that prefer hiring foreign H-1B visa holders over U.S. workers. DHS has proposed a $103,265 fee for new H-1B petitions to address this.
