Welcome back to “The Unify Brief,” where we track the latest developments shaping the nation. Here’s what you need to know this week.

Mass Deportations

Since taking office, President Trump has implemented several measures to enhance immigration enforcement and deportation. Here’s a quick snapshot of all that Trump and his administration have done over the first month of his second term in office.

1. Executive Orders on Immigration: On Jan. 20 and 21, Trump issued several executive orders on immigration. The orders cover a more challenging vetting process for visa applicants, ending birthright citizenship, enhancing border security and suspending refugee and asylum programs. 
2. Reassignment of ICE Director: Acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director, Caleb Vitello, was reassigned from his role to focus on field operations. This decision comes after the administration expressed frustrations with the pace of deportations. 
3. Expansion of Enforcement Programs: The Trump administration has expanded expedited deportations from border areas to anywhere in the U.S., thus allowing immigration officers to quickly deport individuals without due process if they cannot prove they entered the country with documentation and have been in the country for less than two years.
4. Military Involvement in Deportation: The administration is working closely with the military to assist in border security and develop military bases as spaces to hold migrants before they are deported. The administration recently sent migrants to Guantánamo Bay before transferring them to other countries. 
5. Legislative Support for Deportation Efforts: The Senate passed a bill providing $340 billion in funding for Trump’s mass deportation plan.

More on this:

Local: How Denver and Nearby Cities Are Responding to ICE (Westword)

National: US Senate passes budget resolution to fund Trump’s deportation plan (The Guardian)
What other college campuses have to say: College addresses Trump’s deportation policies (The Lafayette)

Mass Firings

A federal judge in Washington, D.C. has permitted President Donald Trump’s administration to proceed with mass terminations of federal employees, despite legal challenges from labor unions. The unions are seeking an injunction to halt further firings and to reinstate those already dismissed.

Since Jan. 20, over 200,000 federal employees in numerous offices have been fired, and over 75,000 other individuals have accepted “buyouts.” The Trump administration remains committed to reducing the federal workforce, despite numerous lawsuits. 

This policy weakens job protections for federal employees, disproportionately affecting marginalized communities that rely on government jobs for stability. By allowing mass firings, workplace diversity, labor rights and economic equity are threatened.

More on this:

Local: ‘Frankly, I’m scared’: Workforce cuts by Trump administration leave Colorado federal workers in limbo (ABC Denver 7)

National: Federal judge allows Trump’s mass firings of federal workers to move forward (AP News)
What other college campuses have to say: GU Students Hit by Federal Hiring Freeze (The Hoya)

CPAC Conference

On Saturday, Feb. 22, President Trump delivered a speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Maryland, highlighting his administration’s recent actions and future plans. 

He emphasized the extensive efforts to reduce the size of the federal government by discussing the termination of thousands of federal employees and the implementation of measures requiring employees to justify their weekly accomplishments or face assumed resignation.

The speech concluded with Trump criticizing former President Joe Biden and expressing confidence in his administration’s direction.

More on this: 

Local: Trump returns home to CPAC to delight of MAGA supporters (The Colorado Gazette)

National: At CPAC, Trump Revels in Political Payback (The New York Times)

What other college campuses have to say: As of Saturday, Feb. 22, no college campuses have reported on the conference. 

Take Action:

• Support local immigrant rights organizations like the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition (CIRC), Casa de Paz, or Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network (RMIAN), which provide legal aid and resources for immigrants facing deportation.

At DU:

• Stay involved in student organizations on campus dedicated to advocacy and social justice. 
• Attend the CERI workshop on Feb. 25 to discuss immigration policies.  
• Talk to professors, faculty and administrators to foster an engaging dialogue on the implications of the new policy changes.