‘Five Things You Should Know’ – Is Trump’s Immigration Plan Beneficial to the Chinese People?

1. Donald Trump announced his immigration policy. What is the most direct impact that Trump’s policy will have on the Chinese people?

The eighth point of his 10-point immigration plan announced in Phoenix, Arizona, was to strengthen the implementation of a “biometric entry-exit visa tracking system” to track down foreigners who stay beyond the time allowed in the United States. An estimated 500,000 people overstay their visit to the U.S. each year. Business Insider estimated that Chinese people made 1.8 million visits to the U.S. in 2014, and in 2015, the Statista website estimated there were 2.56 million Chinese visits.

2. Within the 10-point immigration plan, is there any impact on Chinese people looking for employment in the U.S.?

The ninth point of Trump’s immigration plan is to “strengthen E-Verify” with the intent of preventing American companies from using this system to employ cheap overseas labor.*

3. Does Trump’s immigration plan have an impact on Chinese people preparing for naturalization?

First, Trump did not have any comment on anchor babies.** Second, he made his tenth point about choosing among those who want to immigrate to the U.S. with selection criteria to be used from his “immigration council” “based on their likelihood of success in U.S. society, and their ability to be financially self-sufficient.”

4. Other points within Trump’s 10-point immigration plan?

His other seven points include: 1) his continuing insistence on building a wall along the border with Mexico; 2) the deportation of arrested illegal immigrants, ending the federal “catch-and-release” policy; 3) severe punishment for criminals who are illegal immigrants; 4) not providing federal funds to “sanctuary cities” that are protecting illegal immigrants; 5) canceling unconstitutional executive actions (referring to President Barack Obama’s policy to suspend deportation); 6) not approving visa applications from certain countries (including Syria and Libya) before effective confirmation of identity; and 7) taking action against the 23 countries which refused to take back illegal immigrants deported from the United States.

5. How do the American people view Trump’s tough immigration stance?

A poll from Fox News released on Sept. 1 indicated that Trump, trailing only two points behind (41 percent to 39 percent), was closing in on Hillary Clinton. This poll was conducted between Aug. 28 and Aug. 30 through phone interviews with 1,011 people, accounting for an error of 3 percent. In an early August poll, Clinton was, at one point, leading by 10 points (49 percent to 39 percent). Because Trump announced last week that he would give a crucial speech on an immigration plan, experts believed that the poll, although conducted before the speech, still reflected and recognized the importance of Trump’s emphasis on his immigration plan.

*Editor’s note: E-Verify is an internet-based system that allows businesses to determine the eligibility of their employee to work in the United States.

**Editor’s note: Anchor baby is a pejorative term for a child born in the United States to a foreign national mother who is not lawfully admitted for permanent residence.