Donald Trump leaves American citizens with bated breath as he retakes the Oval Office 

Donald Trump leaves American citizens with bated breath as he retakes the Oval Office  

by Josh Nava | January 31, 2025  

CHICAGO- The first fourteen days of a President’s term are crucial as they set the tone for the next four years. However, the start of Donald Trump’s second term has left many uncertain about what the future holds as he signed divisive executive orders. Executive orders signed include ending Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, enforcing immigration laws, revoking birthright citizenship, and the recognition of only two sexes, male and female.   

Trump signed three executive orders dealing with DEI programs within the federal and private sectors.  

The first executive order was signed on January 20th and ends DEI hiring programs within the federal hiring process in favor of merit-based hiring. The reasoning is, “Federal hiring should not be based on impermissible factors, such as one’s commitment to illegal racial discrimination under the guise of “equity,” or one’s commitment to the invented concept of “gender identity.”   

Trump followed this executive order with another that further curtailed DEI-related programs within the federal government.  

The second executive order signed on January 20th further doubles down on terminating DEI initiatives within federal government programs. The executive order cites DEI programs as being too wasteful and discriminatory to keep in the federal government. The order terminates all DEI offices and positions, it also requires performance reviews to grade on merit and performance rather than DEI factors.   

These executive orders impacted many who had taken advantage of DEI programs such as employee resource groups (ERGs). ERGs are voluntary employee-led groups that aim to provide kinship and inclusion within the workplace and allow employees to connect through commonalities such as race, sexuality, and gender. 

NBC News spoke to anonymous federal workers who lamented the loss of DEI and ERGs within the federal workplace. 

A female federal employee said about ERGs, “They were a really strong signal to the workforce that they believed that belonging was an important part of your job satisfaction and your ability to bring your full self to work.”  

She added, “You felt like you belonged there.” 

Another federal employee revealed fear of getting fired for being queer, “Everyone is very nervous that even being out at work will result in being perceived as a ‘DEI hire’ and being targeted for removal and not knowing if they were let go because of the nature of their work or because they are LGBT.” 

Federal employees were not the only ones who had faced the loss of DEI programs. 

On January 21st, Trump signed the third executive order targeting DEI programs within the private sector. It revokes previous DEI executive orders and seeks to combat “illegal” DEI programs in the private sector. The order proclaims DEI programs violating civil rights laws and calls them dangerous and demeaning to hardworking American men and women. Most notably, Lydon Johnson’s Equal Employment Opportunity executive order has been revoked.  

Trump followed up on the DEI executive orders with two executive orders, one about immigration, and the second about birthright citizenship. 

The first executive order seeks to strictly enforce immigration laws and “protect” the American people. The order claims immigrants arriving in the country pose a security threat and have cost the taxpayers billions of dollars. Previous immigration policies from prior administrations have been rescinded. Undocumented citizens no longer receive public benefits unless authorized to receive them. More agents and officers will also be hired to better enforce immigration laws.  

The second executive order ends birthright citizenship under the Fourteenth Amendment. The order states citizenship is not granted to people born in the United States if their mother was unlawfully in the country, only here temporarily on a visa, and if their father is not a U.S. citizen.  

The executive orders concerning immigration have not gone unchallenged.  

In a press release, Governor Pritzker of Illinois lambasted the Trump administration for revoking birthright citizenship calling it unconstitutional. After all, Chicago is a sanctuary city and does not deny benefits or question a citizen on their immigration status. Furthermore, Illinois and twenty-one states have sued to block the revoking of birthright citizenship.  

Illinois is not yet out of the fire as on January 22nd, the Department of Justice stated they would push for immigration enforcement in Chicago and other sanctuary cities. The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) has a Know Your Rights factsheet in English and Spanish for citizens to use when dealing with ICE.   

Another controversial executive order signed is designed to protect women from “gender extremism”. Under this new order, the United States only recognizes two sexes, male and female, and denies gender ideology. The order asserts gender identity does not provide a meaningful basis for identification and is not a suitable replacement for sex. Federal spending on promoting gender ideology will no longer happen and federal LGBT toolkits from all agencies will be rescinded. Under the order, trans women will now be incarcerated in male-populated prisons rather than female correctional facilities. 

This executive order has not gone unnoticed by LGBT and civil rights advocates as they disavowed the order and some threatened legal action.   

On January 20th, Lambda Legal, CEO Kevin Jennings released a statement and said, “We are prepared to challenge them in court.”   

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) President Kelley Robinson released a statement on the same day, sharing the same sentiment, “We are not going anywhere. And we will fight back against these harmful provisions with everything we’ve got.”  

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) released a statement breaking down the executive order and proclaiming they will fight alongside other LGBT organizations against the order.   

Finally, Equality Illinois CEO Brian Johnson advised Illinoisian trans people to not despair and to know what rights the state of Illinois grants them as trans people. He further advised them to file a charge with the Illinois Department of Human Rights if they are discriminated against.  

The LGBT organization, GLAAD has released a comprehensive guide to Trump’s first-week executive orders concerning the LGBT community along with resources for queer people if needed.  

Trump’s warpath had not ended as his second week in office continued with more executive orders.  

On January 27th, Trump signed an executive order attempting to ban transgender people from serving in the military. The following day, HRC and Lambda Legal announced plans to sue the Trump administration over the transgender-military ban executive order.  

On January 28th, Trump followed up his attempt to ban trans people from serving in the military with another executive order. The order seeks to end funding for gender-affirming care. The Trump administration declares they want to stop perceived chemical and physical mutilation of children. A child or children are now defined as a person under the age of nineteen. Also, the federal government will rescind and amend policies made with the guidance of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH). Federal research and education grants will not be used to research trans health.  

GLAAD blasted the transgender health executive order for being discriminatory and inaccurate against trans people. They also linked a list of statements made by major medical organizations expressing support for trans health care from June 26, 2024.  

Trump and his administration seem keen to keep up the pressure with these salvos, but they are not going unnoticed or without retaliation. While the future seems murky, the present shows a glimmer of hope for what could be because of all those who are determined to fight for the rights of human beings.