Storella Assesses Trump Immigration and Refugee Policies in his First 100 Days in TV Interview
Amb. Mark Storella
Professor of the Practice of Diplomacy Mark Storella explained in an interview on France 24 television April 30 that President Trump’s immigration, asylum and refugee policies in his first 100 days are moving fast and breaking many things Americans hold dear. Polls show Americans increasingly disapprove of Trump’s aggressive approach.
Trump has issued a blizzard of Executive Orders on everything from halting the U.S. refugee admissions program to targeting sanctuary cities to using a 1789 law to permit deportations with virtually no due process or review. The actions threaten the rights of people directly affected but also undermine rule of law in a democratic society as the President ignores due process and often oversteps powers that properly belong with the Congress.
Storella said Trump’s hard-hitting immigration enforcement policies have provoked a negative reaction among the American people. Polls show that his immigration policies no longer win support from a majority of Americans who are concerned about rash deportations, use of El Salvadoran jails for deportees and harassment of foreign students in the United States.
The interview touched on several controversial cases that have fueled public concern, including the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident who was mistakenly sent to El Salvador’s notorious CECOT prison despite having protected legal status barring his removal to that country. Although acknowledged by the Justice Department as an “administrative error,” the Trump administration has since defied court orders to facilitate his return, claiming it cannot compel a foreign government to release one of its citizens.
Storella also discussed the case of Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish doctoral student at Tufts University who was detained by masked federal agents and had her visa revoked. The arrest, captured on surveillance video, showed plainclothes officers, some with partially covered faces, taking Ozturk into custody near her apartment while she was on her way to break her Ramadan fast.
According to Storella, these high-profile cases represent a broader pattern of aggressive immigration enforcement that has alarmed even Americans who generally favor stricter border controls. The administration’s willingness to target students, use foreign prisons for deportees, and bypass traditional due process has raised constitutional concerns across the political spectrum.
Storella noted that the administration’s emphasis on rapid deportations rather than thoughtful policy implementation has led to numerous legal challenges and judicial pushback. Despite the administration’s claims about targeting dangerous individuals, many of those affected have been students, workers, and others with no criminal history.
As the administration moves beyond its first 100 days, Storella suggested that public opposition to these policies may continue to grow, especially if constitutional norms and due process rights continue to be challenged. The former diplomat emphasized that immigration enforcement must be balanced with respect for legal protections and human dignity to maintain support among the American people.
Mark C. Storella is Professor of the Practice of Diplomacy at Boston University’s Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies. He was a United States Foreign Service Officer for over three decades, serving as Ambassador to Zambia, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees, and Migration, and Dean of the Leadership and Management School of the Foreign Service Institute.
Professor Storella also recently shared his insights on Trump’s diplomatic approach in a separate interview with Al Jazeera.