BBC OS Conversations: Immigrants in America

The Documentary Podcast

BBC

Society & Culture, Documentary, Personal Journals

4.3 • 2.6K Ratings

🗓️ 1 February 2025

⏱️ 23 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Hours after his inauguration, President Donald Trump declared a national emergency at America’s southern border with Mexico. He vowed that "all illegal entry will be halted" and that millions of "criminal aliens" would be deported. Many undocumented residents in the United States, who have been living, working and paying taxes there for years, are now fearful that they too will be deported. Alejandra was born in Mexico and was brought to the US by her undocumented parents when she was five. She grew up with her siblings in South Carolina “in the shadows” and now has legal status but is afraid for her family’s future. “My dad is the head of our home,” said Alejandra. “My dad has a mortgage. We would lose the house”. We also hear from residents in Texas who support President Trump’s actions.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hello, I'm Krupa Pardi. Welcome to the documentary from the BBC World Service.
0:05.2	In BBC OS Conversations, we bring people together from around the globe to share their experiences.
0:11.1	This time, we're focusing on the United States with those affected by President Trump's new plans for immigrants.
0:20.6	Hours after his inauguration, President Donald Trump declared a national emergency at America's southern border with Mexico.
0:27.9	He vowed that all illegal entry will be halted and that millions of criminal aliens would be deported.
0:34.2	We hear from supporters of those actions and those with undocumented family members
0:38.6	who are fearful for the future. My dad is the head of our home. Like everything would fall apart.
0:44.0	My dad has a mortgage. Like we would lose the house. It really does alter everybody's life.
0:51.5	In his first week of office, President Trump signed over 35 executive orders.
0:57.5	They cover a range of issues, from water resources in California, to releasing files about the assassination of President J.F. Kennedy and withdrawing from the World Health Organization and the Paris Climate Accord.
1:09.9	While some of these executive orders have made
1:12.1	headlines around the world, his orders dealing with illegal immigration are generating the most
1:17.2	interest. Trump said America's sovereignty is under attack from illegal immigration and, as a result,
1:23.3	plans mass deportations. He has already deployed 1,500 US troops to the Mexican border to help
1:30.5	install barriers, has said US Department of Defence bases may be used as holding facilities for
1:36.1	migrants waiting to be deported and has ordered the US naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba,
1:42.3	to be ready to receive thousands of immigrants with criminal records.
1:46.1	Trump made immigration a priority during his first presidency, with one of his signature policies
1:51.7	being to build a wall between Mexico and the United States, and he's long being criticized
1:57.3	for the language and rhetoric around this issue. This is what he said during his first presidential bid in 2015.
2:04.6	When Mexico sends its people, they're not sending their best.
2:09.0	They're not sending you.
	...

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