President Donald Trump's executive orders to build a wall and crack down on illegal immigration could have explosive policy implications, experts say, but many of his changes face an uncertain path of legislative, legal, and logistical obstacles before they hit their intended goals, NBC News reported.
The wall was the headline grabber, but it could take years to plan, fund, and build, and faces serious geographic and legal constraints along the way. Much of the border, especially in Texas, runs along private property, through state and national parks, and through areas with natural barriers that already limit illegal crossings.
Perhaps the bigger and more immediate change, which Trump has broad authority to enact, concerns which people Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents are told to target for deportation.
There are an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants and the federal government has only limited capacity to identify, prosecute, and deport violators. That means it has to set priorities as to which groups deserve the most attention.