ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) – President Donald Trump’s inaugural speech was filled with issues closely tied to southwest Virginia.
Trump vowed to pardon those charged in the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol.
That includes many locals, including Nathan Bordeaux, a Floyd County man charged just last week with several offenses, including felony assault. It also includes two former Rocky Mount police officers, Thomas Robertson and Jacob Fracker.
Trump has also pledged to prioritize a mass deportation operation, targeting immigrants who have committed crimes, beginning on day one of his presidency.
According to Pew Research, an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants live in the U.S. with around 275,000 of those residing in the state of Virginia.
Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) voiced his concerns about this on ‘Face the Nation’.
“I’m hearing significant concerns from many sectors in the Virginia economy, agriculture, hospitality, healthcare, construction,” Senator Kaine said. “That massive deportation rates would be an absolute gut punch to the Virginia and American economy.”
Another anticipated executive order involves the social media app TikTok. Trump says he plans to use an order delaying the Supreme Court’s decision to ban the app in the U.S. It’s a move that could impact local businesses that rely on the platform to connect with customers.
Caroline Dodson, owner of Rodeo Thrift, says her sales skyrocketed thanks to her TikTok videos.
“I was definitely really excited and happy because my business really relies on TikTok,” Dodson said. “After this past year, our sales have doubled just based on TikTok publicity alone, so that’s definitely amazing for us.”
Trump is also prioritizing policies to keep transgender women out of women’s sports.
During a November rally in Salem, he invited members of the Roanoke College women’s swim team to stand behind him on the promise.
“Last year the radical left’s gender insanity arrived right here in Salem,” President Trump said, “when a man was allowed to transfer onto the Roanoke College Woman’s Swim Team. I just met them backstage, the great swimmers, I did not notice a male on that particular team.”
The president also plans to roll back the so-called “electric vehicle mandate”, an EPA rule requiring auto manufacturers to greenhouse gas emissions for some vehicles in half by 2027.
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin has already expressed support in the rollback, saying this in a statement:
“The idea that government should tell people what kind of car they can or can’t purchase is fundamentally wrong. Virginians deserve the freedom to choose which vehicles best fit the needs of their families and businesses. ”
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