In the fiscal year 2023, U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents encountered nearly 2.5 million migrants attempting to enter the U.S., setting a new record. This surge in migration has intensified the political discourse surrounding the border crisis, especially in an election year. The focus of the debate has shifted from physical border definitions to policies regarding who is allowed entry, who is denied, and the treatment of those already within the country. A Gallup poll indicates that 28% of Americans view immigration as the nation’s most pressing problem.
President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, the latter likely the Republican nominee, offer contrasting approaches to immigration and border policies. On asylum policies, Trump’s administration enforced the “Remain in Mexico” policy, requiring asylum-seekers at the southern border to wait in Mexico for their immigration hearings. This policy faced criticism for exposing migrants to violence and was labeled “inhumane” by Biden, who subsequently canceled it. Under Biden’s administration, efforts have been made to streamline the asylum process through a mobile app and improve economic conditions in Central America, in contrast to Trump’s travel bans and stricter asylum qualification thresholds.
Trump’s presidency emphasized physical border security, constructing over 450 miles of a border wall, a project he pledges to continue if reelected. Biden, however, has criticized the wall, advocating instead for increased border security through technological means and additional agents. The two leaders also diverge on deportation policies, with Trump advocating for the largest deportation task force and Biden focusing on finding pathways to citizenship for those in legal uncertainty, having deported 142,000 individuals last year.
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