Donald Trump's approach is clear: make immigration and asylum more difficult, deport undocumented immigrants, close the borders. He has already signed several executive orders to implement his plans.

Executive orders allow a US president to take action without the approval of Congress. Though Trump seems to be making particularly extensive use of this tool, they are not uncommon as a means of taking urgent measures or concretizing existing laws.

Executive orders can be challenged in court if they are deemed to be unconstitutional or to interfere with the powers of the states. They can also be overturned by Congress. But a president retains the power to veto such a decision, which in turn can be overridden by a two-thirds majority in Congress.

DW takes a look at some of Trump's key executive orders on migration, and the legal implications.

Donald Trump has announced plans to detain up to 30,000 "criminal illegal aliens" in a "migrant facility" at the controversial US Guantanamo Bay naval base in Cuba. Legal experts and human rights organizations have expressed doubts about the plans and predict that he will not be able to enforce them legally in the long term.

The Center for Constitutional Rights issued the following statement from its executive director Vince Warren: "President Trump’s decision to use Guantanamo – global symbol and site of lawlessness, torture, and racism – to house immigrants........

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