How the Biden administration is failing to secure the border and protect Americans from illegal immigration

The Biden administration has been facing a severe crisis at the U.S. southern border since it took office in January 2023. Despite its attempts to downplay the situation and blame the previous administration, the facts show that Biden’s policies have encouraged a record influx of migrants, overwhelmed the border security and humanitarian resources, and exposed Americans to public health and national security risks.

The numbers don’t lie

According to official statistics, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) encountered more than 2 million migrants at the southern border in the fiscal year 2023, which began in October 2022. This is the highest number in more than two decades, and a 70% increase from the previous fiscal year.

The number of migrants apprehended at the border spiked sharply after Biden took office, reaching a peak of 239,416 in May 2023. This was a 2% increase from April and a 674% increase from May 2022.

Among the migrants arriving at the border, there has been a significant rise in the number of unaccompanied children and families. In May 2023, CBP encountered 14,158 unaccompanied children and 44,639 family units, compared to 4,171 and 23,237 respectively in May 2022.

The causes are clear

The surge of migrants at the border is largely driven by economic problems and environmental disasters in Central America and Cuba, which have worsened during the Covid-19 pandemic. Many migrants are fleeing poverty, violence, corruption, and natural disasters in their home countries, hoping to find a better life in the U.S.

However, another major factor behind the migration crisis is the Biden administration’s reversal of many of the Trump administration’s policies that deterred illegal immigration and enforced border security. For example:

• Biden ended the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), also known as the Remain in Mexico policy, which required asylum seekers to wait in Mexico while their claims were processed in U.S. courts. This policy reduced the incentives for migrants to make fraudulent asylum claims and prevented them from disappearing into the U.S. after being released.

• Biden reinstated the catch-and-release policy, which allows migrants who are apprehended at the border to be released into the U.S. interior while they await their immigration hearings. This policy creates a backlog of cases in the immigration system and encourages more migrants to cross the border illegally.

• Biden halted the construction of the border wall, which was intended to enhance physical barriers and technology along the southern border. The wall was proven to be effective in reducing illegal crossings and drug smuggling in areas where it was completed.

• Biden proposed a sweeping immigration reform bill that would offer legal status and a path to citizenship for an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S. This proposal signaled to potential migrants that they would be rewarded for breaking U.S. laws and encouraged more people to come to the country illegally.

The consequences are dire

The Biden administration’s failure to secure the border and protect Americans from illegal immigration has resulted in serious consequences for both the migrants and the U.S. citizens.

For the migrants:

• Many of them face dangerous conditions and exploitation by human smugglers and cartels along their journey. Some of them die or get injured while crossing rivers, deserts, or mountains. Some of them are kidnapped, raped, or extorted by criminal groups.

• Many of them are exposed to Covid-19 and other diseases while traveling or staying in overcrowded shelters or detention facilities. Some of them test positive for Covid-19 after being released into the U.S., posing a risk of spreading the virus to others.

• Many of them are subject to harsh treatment by U.S. authorities who are overwhelmed by the influx of migrants. Some of them are held in unsanitary and unsafe conditions for longer than legally allowed. Some of them are separated from their families or deported without due process.

For the Americans:

• Many of them face increased competition for jobs, wages, housing, education, and health care from millions of undocumented immigrants who enter or remain in the country illegally. Some of them lose their jobs or businesses due to unfair labor practices or economic downturns caused by illegal immigration.

• Many of them face increased threats from drugs, gangs, terrorism, and crime that are facilitated by porous borders and lax immigration enforcement. Some of them become victims of violence or property damage committed by criminal aliens or smugglers.

• Many of them face increased taxes and spending to cover the costs of providing social services, health care, education, and law enforcement to millions of undocumented immigrants who do not pay their fair share. Some of them see their quality of life and public safety deteriorate due to the strain on public resources and infrastructure caused by illegal immigration.

The solutions are urgent

The Biden administration’s border crisis is not a temporary or seasonal phenomenon. It is a chronic and systemic problem that requires urgent and comprehensive solutions. The Biden administration must:

• Restore the Migrant Protection Protocols and other policies that deter illegal immigration and enforce border security. The administration must work with Mexico and other countries to ensure that migrants are returned to their countries of origin or transit, or wait in safe and humane conditions while their asylum claims are processed.

• End the catch-and-release policy and expedite the removal of migrants who do not qualify for asylum or other forms of relief. The administration must increase the capacity and efficiency of the immigration system, including hiring more judges, agents, and officers, and using technology and biometrics to track migrants who are released into the U.S.

• Resume the construction of the border wall and enhance the physical and technological barriers along the southern border. The administration must allocate sufficient funding and resources to complete the wall and deploy more sensors, cameras, drones, and personnel to monitor and secure the border.

• Withdraw the immigration reform bill that rewards illegal immigration and incentivizes more people to come to the country illegally. The administration must focus on enforcing existing immigration laws and prioritizing legal immigration based on merit, skills, and national interest.

The Biden administration has a responsibility to secure the border and protect Americans from illegal immigration. It is time for the administration to acknowledge the crisis, reverse its failed policies, and implement effective solutions. The American people deserve nothing less.