Policy Priorities
SECURE THE BORDER
A nation without borders is no nation at all. At one time, physical border barriers were considered a commonsense and bipartisan approach to securing our homeland.END HUMAN TRAFFICKING
Human trafficking is extremely lucrative to those who seek to gain from enslaving others. It accounts for an estimated $150 billion in annual global profits and is far more prevalent than many realize.DEFEAT THE CARTELS
The Mexican drug cartels are public enemy #1 to the American people and they are trafficking a record number of migrants and fentanyl across the southern border.
The America First Policy Institute’s (AFPI) Homeland Security & Immigration is devoted to protecting the American people, American interests, and the American way of life. Our “America First” approach requires an immigration system that prioritizes border security and the value of citizenship, a strong and persistent counter-terrorism effort, resiliency of our critical physical and digital infrastructure, and agility in the face of ever-shifting foreign threats and influence.
As our world becomes more complex, so do the threats we face. Terrorism remains a global reality, and America’s ability to prevent attacks in the United States is only as strong as its weakest link at any given moment. America’s enemies no longer need to physically come to our shores to hurt us in the digital age. Threats that strike at the heart of our infrastructure—and, therefore, our civilization—can be achieved with the touch of a button from anywhere in the world. In some cases, these threats are sponsored or shielded by foreign governments; in some cases, they are foreign governments. While these threats are omnipresent, courageous leadership at all levels of government and society is essential for success and security.
Team
The Honorable Chad Wolf
Chair, Homeland Security & Immigration Policy and Chair, Western Hemisphere Initiative
Julie Kirchner
Director, Homeland Security & Immigration Policy
Kristen Ziccarelli
Fellow, Civilizational Action
Kassidy Scott
Analyst, Homeland Security and Immigration Policy
Andrew Pavoncello
Senior Policy Advisor, homeland security, immigration, and anti-human trafficking policy
Tony H. Pham, Esq.
Senior Fellow, Homeland Security and Immigration Policy
Emilio Gonzalez
Senior Fellow, Homeland Security & Immigration
Todd Lyons
Senior Fellow, Homeland Security and Immigration Policy
Latest
Expert Insights
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August 6, 2026
The Great American Recovery: The 2026 National Drug Control Strategy’s Historic Reignition of Faith in Our Communities
Over 1.2 million Americans have died from drug overdoses since 1999, a loss felt in nearly every family and community across the nation. As part of the Trump Administration’s ongoing efforts to end this devastation unleashed by illicit drugs, this May, Drug Czar Sara Carter published the National Drug Control Strategy for 2026. This Strategy outlines a whole-of-government approach to confronting addiction and the ongoing drug crisis. It is built on two equally important fronts: a campaign to disrupt the illicit drug supply, paired with a comprehensive public health effort to reduce demand and consumption.
Op-Ed
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August 5, 2026
New York’s Radical Playbook for Stopping Mass Deportation
Op-Ed
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August 3, 2026
Protecting Children Should Be Supported by All; Sadly, It Is Not
In November 2025, the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement launched the Unaccompanied Alien Children Safety Verification Initiative in partnership with state and local law enforcement.
Statement
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July 23, 2026
AFPI New Mexico Calls for Accountability After CYFD Sends Foster Teen to Abusive Parent in Mexico
ALBUQUERQUE, NM — The America First Policy Institute's (AFPI) New Mexico state chapter released the following statement from New Mexico Executive Director Vincent Torres after reports that Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD) removed a 15-year-old U.S. citizen from foster care and left him at an El Paso border crossing to meet his estranged mother in Mexico
Bill Analysis
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July 20, 2026
Tennessee’s Immigration Package: A Model for the States
HB 1704 was enacted on April 21, 2026. The bill establishes two new crimes. First, the bill creates a misdemeanor crime for aliens who: (1) have been “denied admission, excluded, deported, or removed from the United States or has departed the United States while an order of exclusion, deportation, or removal is outstanding,” and (2) intentionally enter the state.
Topics
- Safeguarding the Homeland
- Rural Prosperity
- Farmers First
- Criminal Justice & Public Safety
- The Courts
- Government Weaponization
- Law & Order
- Work & Jobs
- American Dream
- Post Secondary Education
- American Only Elections
- Clean Votes
- Secure Elections
- Big Tech & Censorship
- Budget, Spending, & Taxes
- Government De-Regulation
- Public Health
- Border & Immigration
- Human Trafficking
- Asia
- Europe
- Defense
- Israel & the Middle East
- The Western Hemisphere
- Marriage, Family, & Children
- Faith & Religious Liberty
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issues
Videos
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Ending Human Trafficking: A National Call to Courage and Action
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The US Border Crisis and the American Solution to an International Problem
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Combating Fentanyl - The America First Action Plan
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Open Border, Closed Case: Chad Wolf Testifies Before House Committee on Homeland Security
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The Border Crisis: Is the Law Being Faithfully Executed?
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America First National Security Symposium
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AFPI Speaker Series: The Systematic Dismantling of American Border Security ft. Rep. Jim Jordan
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Chad Wolf joined Stuart Varney on Fox Business to discuss the latest on the border crisis
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Chad Wolf joined Newsmax to discuss the Buffalo shooting and the latest on the border crisis
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Chad Wolf joined Fox & Friends to discuss the Buffalo shooting and the border crisis
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Chad Wolf joined Newsmax to discuss the record levels of drugs pouring across the border
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