Contradictions in Immigration Policy: A Reflection on Recent Events

Increasing numbers of Haitian migrants have been traveling to the border town of Del Rio, Texas, recently, in the hope of entering the United States.

Border Patrol took action — in some cases, sending the migrants back to Haiti; in others, taking them into custody or releasing them as they await trial.

Why did so many thousands of Haitians come to the border in the first place? And what was behind the Biden administration’s reaction?

Guest: Michael D. Shear, a White House correspondent for The New York Times. 

Sign up here to get The Daily in your inbox each morning. And for an exclusive look at how the biggest stories on our show come together, subscribe to our newsletter. 

Background reading: 

• The U.S. is flying migrants back to Haiti and other countries as President Biden struggles to manage an immigration system already buckling under record migration.
• Haitians who lived abroad for years have been returned to a country that they barely recognize — often, they say, without a hearing.

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. 

Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.