1. The Election of Donald Trump as President

The election of Donald Trump was significant for the direction it signaled U.S. immigration policy would be taking in the foreseeable future.

His agenda of building a wall on the Mexican border, of deporting illegal immigrants and blocking the inflow of Muslims found favor with many voters in  America who were obviously frustrated with the path immigration policy had been taking.

2. Brexit

While seemingly only a matter of concern overseas, the decision of voters in Great Britain to leave the European Union signaled a change in attitudes about immigration  on the European continent and may have influenced how American voters should view the influx of refugees to this country.

3. Syrian Refugees

Broadly speaking this term came to encompass not only the plight of Syrians escaping their war-torn country, but also other migrants from Iraq and Afghanistan as well as those seeking economic refuge in Europe. Angela Merkel`s decision to publicly announce that Germany would accept one million refugees inspired a seemingly endless flood of refugees seeking to cross the Mediterranean sea to find a new home in Europe. The Canadian decision to welcome 35,000 Syrians led the way for America to allow some 10,000 to enter this country.

4. The Failure of Congress to Address the Problem of Comprehensive Immigration Reform

Congressional deadlock over a wide range of issues, a significant one being  immigration reform and  the presence of some 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States, left people frustrated and unhappy with the way the country was being managed by its leaders in Washington.

5. The Failure of President Obama`s DACA/DAPA Initiative

Faced with a standstill in Congress and  dissension about his record for the most deportations of any previous president, President Obama introduced executive orders to relieve the concerns of illegal immigrants through the DACA/DAPA programs.  The measures were aimed at helping certain non-violent illegal immigrants who immigrated to the country while under 16 years of age or who had close family members that attained permanent resident or citizenship status. The programs would have granted them temporary three year relief from removal and the right to work. The programs were ultimately blocked by a divided Supreme court.