The Stakes of Immigration with Aaron Reichlin-Melnick
Apr 9, 2024
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Immigration expert Aaron Reichlin-Melnick delves into the differences between Trump and Biden's immigration policies, including border enforcement and the asylum system. They discuss the impact of Title 42, border crossings, and bipartisan efforts for reform. Reichlin-Melnick highlights challenges in legal immigration, resource constraints, and the need for comprehensive solutions.
Trump administration focused on slashing legal immigration, favoring European immigrants and implementing bans like the Muslim ban.
Biden administration revoked some Trump policies but Title 42 enforcement remains a key factor in border policies.
Increase in family crossings at US-Mexico border post-Title 42, with challenges posed by demographics shift and lack of repatriation agreements.
Deep dives
Trump Administration's Restrictionist Approach to Legal Immigration
During the Trump administration, there was a clear focus on slashing legal immigration to the United States. They aimed to reshape the legal immigration system to mirror historical national origin quotas from the 1920s through the 1960s, favoring European immigrants while restricting others. Various policies and bans were implemented, such as the Muslim ban and restrictions on health insurance requirements, leading to a significant drop in visa issuances every year. Additionally, there were drastic reductions in refugee admissions, causing long-term negative effects on the refugee program.
Trump Administration's Zero Tolerance Approach at the Border
At the border, the Trump administration pursued a deterrence strategy, particularly targeting families to deter them from seeking asylum. Controversial policies like family separation and aggressive border measures aimed to reduce border crossings. However, these approaches faced significant backlash and mostly led to increased border apprehensions. Complex asylum processing, Title 42 expulsions, and remain in Mexico agreements, part of these efforts, did not provide sustainable solutions and often faced legal challenges.
Biden Administration's Changes at the Border
Upon taking office, the Biden administration revoked some Trump-era policies like the remain in Mexico and third-party repatriation agreements. However, the continued enforcement of Title 42, a public health measure, has been a key factor in border policies. Despite messaging discouraging migration, the revocation of certain Trump policies did not lead to significant changes due to ongoing use of Title 42. As Title 42's eventual expiration looms, expectations rise on how border dynamics will evolve.
Border Crossings and Removal Processes
After the end of Title 42, there has been an increase in family crossings at the US-Mexico border, resulting in families going through the regular immigration court removal process. While single adult migrants are crossing less frequently, the demographics have shifted noticeably, with more Venezuelans and Cubans arriving starting in 2021. The lack of repatriation agreements with countries like Venezuela and Cuba has posed challenges for deportations, leading to large numbers of migrants crossing from these regions.
Bilateral Deal with Mexico and the CHN v. Parole Program
In efforts to address the migration challenges, the Biden administration reached a deal with Mexico where Mexicans agreed to accept certain deported individuals in exchange for humanitarian parole for others. This agreement, known as the CHN v. Parole Program, aims to create a shared responsibility for migration between the two countries. The program involves stringent screening processes to control immigration flow while providing new options for legal entry and discouraging unauthorized border crossings.
We’re excited to share the first conversation in our WITHpod 2024: The Stakes series. For the first time since 1892, we have an election in which both candidates have presidential records, which provides a unique opportunity to cut through messaging and rhetoric and culture war flotsam and actually take a hard look at what each man has actually done as president. On The Stakes, WITHPod will choose specific areas of policy -- immigration, taxes, climate -- and talk to an expert about the two candidates' records on the topic. We’re starting with one of the highest salience and most complex policy areas: immigration. Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, policy director at the American Immigration Council, joins to unpack immigration policies under Trump vs. Biden, border enforcement, the state of the asylum system and more.
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