Operational Updates

President Trump proclaims January 20, 2026 as National Day of Patriotic Devotion

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Key takeaways

  • President Donald J. Trump proclaimed January 20, 2026, as the National Day of Patriotic Devotion.
  • The proclamation outlines border-security actions the administration says it implemented in its first year: a national emergency at the southern border; designating cartels as "Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Specially Designated Global Terrorists"; resuming border wall construction; reinstating the Remain in Mexico policy; halting catch-and-release; ending asylum for illegal border crossers; deploying thousands of soldiers; and conducting an expanded deportation operation.
  • The proclamation claims illegal border crossings have fallen 92 percent over the year and that U.S. Customs and Border Patrol seized more than half a million pounds of drugs.
  • The document credits the administration with economic actions including a Presidential Memorandum for emergency price relief, increased energy production, and claims that inflation is down 70 percent from its prior peak and that real wages and housing costs are improving.
  • It states that the administration passed the "One Big Beautiful Bill," described as making large tax cuts permanent, changing tax treatment for tips, Social Security, and overtime, increasing the child tax credit, investing in infrastructure, lowering energy costs, and securing the border.
  • The proclamation says the president signed an Executive Order directing the Secretary of State to make Department of State policies and operations defend American interests and reiterates a foreign-policy focus on "peace through strength."

Follow Up Questions

What legal authority allows the President to proclaim a "National Day" and does such a proclamation require action by federal agencies?Expand

The President issues presidential proclamations under Article II and under statutes that delegate authority; most "national day" proclamations are ceremonial and have no independent legal force or automatic requirements for federal agencies unless the proclamation invokes specific statutory authority or directs agencies to act. Proclamations must be published in the Federal Register (44 U.S.C. §1505) and may be legally binding only when grounded in constitutional or statutory power.

What is the "Remain in Mexico" policy and how does it work in practice for asylum seekers?Expand

"Remain in Mexico" (Formally the Migrant Protection Protocols, MPP) required certain asylum applicants arriving at the U.S.–Mexico land border to wait in Mexico while their U.S. immigration court proceedings and credible-fear screening took place; in practice migrants were returned to Mexico (often to designated border cities) and had to pursue asylum claims from there with limited access to counsel and services. Implementation depended on DHS and immigration enforcement procedures and bilateral arrangements with Mexico.

What does designating cartels as "Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Specially Designated Global Terrorists" change legally and operationally?Expand

Designating drug cartels as "Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs)" or as specially designated global terrorists would allow use of counter‑terrorism tools (criminalizing material support, visa restrictions, financial sanctions, asset blocking) and increase interagency counterterrorism coordination; however, FTO designation under the Immigration and Nationality Act requires legal criteria (foreign organization, engages in terrorist activity/terrorism) and can raise complex legal, intelligence, and operational issues—courts, sanctions authorities, and implementation by Treasury (OFAC) and DOJ would determine practical effects.

What is the "One Big Beautiful Bill" — is it an enacted law and where can the bill text or summary be found?Expand

The White House proclamation references a legislative package called the "One Big Beautiful Bill." As of the article date, there is no publicly available, commonly‑recognized federal statute with that exact name; to confirm whether its provisions are enacted law you must consult the text of the bill(s) or public law citations—those enactments and bill texts/summaries appear on Congress.gov and the Government Publishing Office when enacted.

How can the proclamation's statistics (e.g., 92% reduction in illegal crossings, half a million pounds of drugs seized, 70% drop in inflation) be independently verified and which agencies publish those data?Expand

Each claim can be independently checked at different agencies: illegal border encounters and seizures—U.S. Customs and Border Protection publishes monthly statistics (CBP Border Patrol encounters and seizure data); drug seizures—CBP and DEA publish seizure reports; inflation and wage measures—Bureau of Labor Statistics (CPI, inflation rates, real wages) and Bureau of Economic Analysis (real personal income) publish official data. Verify the administrations percentage claims by comparing CBP, BLS, BEA, DEA agency reports and Congressional Budget Office or independent economic analysis.

What changes, if any, result from the Executive Order directing the Secretary of State to ensure Department of State policies "defend America’s interests"?Expand

An Executive Order directing the Secretary of State to ensure Department of State policies "defend America’s interests" primarily directs department policy and personnel implementation—the Secretary must act "consistent with applicable law;" such EOs typically require the Department to revise guidance (e.g., the Foreign Affairs Manual) and subordinate agencies to change handbooks or procedures, but cannot override statutes; implementation is carried out through State Department directives, FAM/FAH revisions, and interagency coordination.

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