14 New Englanders assess the Trump administration

Immigration

Social media sites have been rife with recurring scenes of masked Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers arresting migrants and foreign students in the streets, including Tufts University student Rümeysa Öztürk on a Somerville sidewalk.

Listen to Voter Vibes: Immigration

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Nearly all of the voters said they were unhappy with at least some aspects of the president’s immigration policy. See their thoughts below.

“If they break the law, OK, now you should be deporting them. But I don’t think we should be attacking our own people just because of the color of their skin, so I’m very much against that.”

Karen Sysyn

“I don’t feel that the way that Trump is going about it is correct. I also think that Biden was kind of slack. ... I think that that’s one of the reasons why Harris lost.”

Rosemary Shea

“It’s been a problem for some time. It’s kind of been a can that’s been kicked down the road and Congress hasn’t really done their job.”

Brian Jankins

“[International students] are spending the money here. They are renting the apartment. They are purchasing things here. ... After they study, they go back with their experience — it’s helping us.”

Anand Sharma

The Economy

In the weeks since Inauguration Day, Trump has launched his agenda with force. White House executive orders have raised tariffs, slashed federal research spending, eliminated much foreign aid, and brought up the prospect of restructuring Social Security and the student loan system. The ripples of these moves are only beginning to be felt, even as many remain caught in legal crossfire.

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The flurry of changes has many Americans wondering: Where is the economy headed? Here’s what our voter panel had to say.

“I’m not sure who this is supposed to help. Like, who are the tariffs really supposed to help, given the impact it will have on us consumers?”

Vanessa Coppola

“We should not raise tariffs on countries who have worked with us in the past, because we get so much raw material from them. We are going to pay.”

Anand Sharma

“He’s trying to fix a lot of things in one swoop, and quickly. It needed attention for a long time, but it may come with short-term pain. That’s where it gets difficult.”

Brian Jankins

“I noticed that our day-to-day spending, our day-to-day costs, are up. I noticed utility costs are up, that’s like gas and electric.”

Justina Perry