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
Julie Kirchner
Director, Homeland Security & Immigration Policy
Kristen Ziccarelli
Fellow, Civilizational Action
Kassidy Scott
Policy Analyst, Homeland Security & Immigration
Andrew Pavoncello
Senior Policy Advisor, homeland security, immigration, and anti-human trafficking policy
Tony H. Pham, Esq.
Senior Fellow, Homeland Security & Immigration
Emilio Gonzalez
Senior Fellow, Homeland Security & Immigration
Todd Lyons
Senior Fellow, Homeland Security and Immigration Policy
Latest
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.
Analysis of S9005C: New York’s New Sanctuary Law
On May 27, 2026, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed into law one of the most sweeping state sanctuary laws to date. The legislation, S9005C, was passed only days earlier by the state legislature as part of the budget package for 2027, which (as is typical for each year) was comprised of multiple appropriations bills and policy bills (also called Article VII bills) required to implement the budget.
AFPI on the Walz-Ellison Pardon: Minnesota’s Leaders Handed a Child Rapist a Clean Slate
MINNEAPOLIS, MN — The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) today released the following statement after the Minnesota Board of Pardons cleared the record of Tou Lue Vang, an illegal alien convicted of repeatedly sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl. The pardon strips away the convictions that made him deportable, just a week before he was set to be removed from the country.
America First Policy Institute Responds to Supreme Court Decision on Birthright Citizenship
The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) today responded to the United States Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision in Trump v. Barbara, holding that children born in the United States to parents who are unlawfully or temporarily present are “subject to the jurisdiction”of the United States and thus citizens at birth under the Fourteenth Amendment’s Citizenship Clause.
AFPI Celebrates Supreme Court Victories for Secure Border Enforcement and Second Amendment Rights
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