Biden’s and Trump’s Radically Different Visions for Illegal Migration

• President Biden uses humanitarian programs to continue mass migration into the U.S. while attempting to crack down on illegal border crossings

• Former president Trump proposes a tougher policy, vowing to end “abuse” of humanitarian measures which allow for mass amnesty

• Trump also vows to deport 15-20 million illegal migrants

The story

President Biden has taken conflicting actions this year to address the migration crisis at the border. Earlier in June, he issued an executive order prohibiting migrants who cross the border illegally from requesting asylum. Simultaneously, he is broadly using humanitarian policies to continue facilitating mass migration.

He announced a second executive order granting hundreds of thousands of undocumented spouses and children of American citizens a pathway to legal status.

Donald Trump is berating President Biden’s mismanagement of the southern border crisis, while Americans increasingly express outrage over the influx of millions of migrants. Biden has quietly granted asylum to vast swaths of illegal border crossers, and Trump is aligned with the majority of Americans who support booting illegals out of the country via mass deportations.

In November, the people will decide whose vision is preferable.

The politics

Donald Trump says Biden’s immigration policies provide “mass amnesty and citizenship” to illegal border crossers who will vote for the “Open Border Democrat Party.” According to the president’s plan, it could take five years for recipients to receive citizenship.

Rep. Mark Green (R-TN) and Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) have been especially critical of Biden’s policies. Both Congressmen are irked with the president for “abusing his powers” to grant mass amnesty to illegal migrants who did not navigate normal channels to obtain legal status.

The president and congressional Democrats have been very critical of Republicans who recently rejected two bipartisan border security bills. Democrats argue that Biden’s recent executive orders are necessary because Congress refuses to take action. Republicans continue to argue that the president has unilateral authority to drastically reduce border crossings, as President Trump did via his Remain in Mexico policy and Title 42.

Progressive Democrats feel concerned that stronger border policies depart from party values. In response to moderates' tougher immigration rhetoric, progressive Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX) says Democrats “have to get back with the American people on the idea that immigration is a good thing.”

The real effects of Biden’s policy

President Biden’s immigration plan involves utilizing various humanitarian measures like parole, parole-in-place, and asylum to facilitate continued mass migration of illegal border crossers, while cracking down on illegal crossings when the border is overwhelmed.

The recent parole-in-place measure grants deportation protection and a path to legal status for 500,000 undocumented spouses and 50,000 children of U.S. citizens. The measure also grants work permits for migrants living in the U.S. at least ten years. Previously, undocumented spouses had to leave the U.S. for years to receive parole.

Ninety thousand people brought illegally into the U.S. as children, who have special protections under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), will now have easier access to work visas.

Biden’s parole plan allows as many as 30,000 migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Venezuela, and Nicaragua to come to the U.S. each month. He also opened regional processing centers in Latin America and helped migrants access an app for making asylum appointments in advance. These measures are touted by Democrats and the Biden administration as helping to reduce border congestion.

Trump’s plan

Meanwhile, Donald Trump is promising “the largest deportation effort in the history of our country.” He plans to deport 15-20 million illegal migrants using the National Guard and law enforcement.

Trump also seeks to restrict humanitarian policies that allow millions a pathway into the U.S. He vows to end the "outrageous abuse of parole" and “asylum fraud” and to restore the Remain in Mexico policy, which requires that asylum-seekers stay in Mexico while their claim is processed. Implementation of “Remain in Mexico” is widely regarded as the most significant achievement in curbing illegal crossings during Trump's tenure.

The former president wants to replace the existing immigration system with a merit-based system that “protects American labor” and “values.” Trump’s previous attempts to implement merit-based immigration would have allowed entry to the most highly skilled migrants, to protect Americans from competing with migrants for low paying jobs.

Why it matters

President Biden’s order permits significantly more migration into the country each year, in stark contrast to Donald Trump’s ambitious deportation plan. Mass migration not only puts pressure on schools and migrant shelters already struggling to meet demands, but could mean lower wages for Americans.

The U.S. migrant population is currently 13.7 percent, nearing the 14.6 percent peak in 1910. If mass migration continues at this level, the U.S. will experience unprecedented cultural and demographic change, potentially making social cohesion and assimilation more difficult.

Trump’s plan to deport millions of people may excite the Republican base, but is it feasible? One estimate calculates that mass deportation could cost taxpayers $1 trillion over ten years. Further, the deportation plan could eliminate a significantly larger percentage of the population than was lost during the COVID-19 pandemic.

If Trump wins in November, it will become clear whether a mass deportation effort is possible and how the American public will react to such a vast, jarring initiative.