WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Independent Women applauds President Donald Trump for his efforts to protect Americans through bold, decisive executive orders on immigration and border security, and announces the launch of Collateral Damage: America’s Broken Immigration System, an exclusive Independent Women Features docu-series aimed at elevating the voices of real Americans faced with the realities of America’s open and porous borders and broken immigration system.
Heather Higgins, chairman of Independent Women, said: “We can be a nation that welcomes and appreciates immigrants and also realize, as every other country does, that an indiscriminate open border threatens America and her people. In 2018 Independent Women warned of the potential for a pandemic long before COVID hit, the likely rise in crime, and the cost of lost community cohesion. We are so grateful to have President Trump back in office to take decisive action to stop illegal immigration and begin to reverse the damage. That important process started today with these executive orders.”
“We applaud President Trump’s bold and decisive action taken to immediately address the catastrophic impact of the open border. These executive orders mark a pivotal first step toward restoring the rule of law, safeguarding American communities, and providing a framework for a secure and orderly immigration process,” said Meaghan Mobbs, director of the Center for American Safety and Security at Independent Women. “For too long, the lack of enforcement at our borders has created a humanitarian and national security crisis. Families have suffered, trafficking networks have flourished, and American citizens have borne the costs of a system that undermines public safety and economic stability. The measures announced today by President Trump reflect a commitment to a safer, more secure future while ensuring that we remain a nation of laws and a beacon of opportunity for those who seek to contribute to the American dream through legal means. This is not merely an issue of policy but one of compassion, justice, and common sense. President Trump’s actions clearly prioritize the safety of our citizens, support law enforcement, and reaffirm the values that make our nation strong. We commend President Trump’s leadership and stand ready to support actions that protect the sovereignty and security of the United States.”
Coinciding with President Trump’s executive orders, Independent Women Features, the grassroots storytelling and original journalism arm of Independent Women, released a trailer for its immigration-focused documentary series, “Collateral Damage: America’s Broken Immigration System.”
Watch the trailer HERE:
Collateral Damage: America’s Broken Immigration System
The series will expose real stories showing the catastrophic consequences of poor immigration policies that result in unchecked illegal immigration and highlight the need for the Trump administration to fix the federal immigration system.
Kaylee McGhee White, editor-in-chief of Independent Women Features, said: “For the past four years, Americans have experienced firsthand the devastating consequences of a broken immigration system. Though this system has been long in need of comprehensive legislative reform, there is no question the Biden administration’s deliberate open border policies drastically made things worse. American citizens have paid the price — from higher crime rates to stretched resources. As the new Trump administration seeks to tackle this crisis, Independent Women Features will highlight those Americans’ stories to make sure their voices are represented and that they are not left behind as collateral damage.”
Mobbs added: “Stories have the power to reveal truths often overlooked, and the impact of open borders on American lives is a story that must be told. Behind every policy failure are real people—families devastated by loss, communities struggling under the weight of crime, and individuals whose safety and security have been compromised. This series is about amplifying those voices and bringing the human cost of open borders to light. These stories matter because they remind us of the lives at stake and the urgent need to prioritize our citizens. By amplifying these voices, we reaffirm our commitment to restoring the rule of law, strengthening border security, and ensuring the safety of all Americans.”
Learn more about Independent Women’s border security work below:
- Independent Women Voice sent a letter to members of Congress on January 7 expressing its support for the Laken Riley Act, also known as H.R. 29. Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student, was out for a run when she was brutally killed by Jose Ibarra, an illegal immigrant from Venezuela with a well-documented criminal history.
- Last year, Mobbs visited the southern border, where she spoke with border patrol agents and locals at the epicenter of the migrant crisis and witnessed the devastating impacts of an insecure border firsthand.
- CASS has developed a comprehensive policy focus to help lawmakers address the border crisis.
- IW Features exposed the dangerous fallout of the unprecedented border crisis in an exclusive documentary, “Brooklyn’s Border Crisis: Male Migrant Shelter Opens Steps From a Children’s School,” as told by Irina Edelstein, the Brooklyn chapter leader of IW’s national grassroots membership arm, Independent Women’s Network. Edelstein, an immigrant herself, joined Dr. Phil Primetime to break her silence on how the illegal migrant influx threatens the safety of communities nationwide.
- Independent Women’s Forum’s c4 sister organization, Independent Women’s Voice, launched the Safe Borders Petition in 2021 for the public to sign and the Safe Borders Commitment for elected officials to show their commitment to “supporting legislation that applies all travel requirements to everyone equally and fairly, including those entering at our southern border.”