Biden Appears to Ditch His Immigration Promise

Plan Endangers Migrants, Compromises Rights of People Living in Borderlands

Latest

Migrant mother with daughter looking into the United States. Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico. March 2023 PHOTO: LAURA GARCIA

In his State of the Union speech before Congress in early February, President Biden squandered an opportunity to be bold on immigration.  Instead, Biden dedicated a meager 120 words to the subject and opted for a tired plan on border security that endangers the lives of migrants and compromises the rights of those who live in the borderlands.

Almost an hour into his speech, Biden mentioned immigration, touting his border plan to deny migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela their right to seek asylum.  This compounds the suffering migrants from other countries are experiencing as the United States continues to expel people under Title 42, an archaic public health order misused to block Black and Brown migrants from seeking asylum.

He mentioned how his administration has “a record number of personnel working to secure the border,” that 8,000 human smugglers have been arrested, and that agents have seized over 23,000 pounds of fentanyl in recent months.

He also pressed Congress to act, but qualified his remarks with a despairingly weak handover, saying, “If we don’t pass my comprehensive immigration reform, at least pass my plan to provide the equipment and officers to secure the border,” then adding as if an afterthought, “And a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, those on temporary status, farm workers, essential workers.”  That was the extent of his remarks on immigration.

Biden’s statements were an acquiescence to the extreme right who have dominated the public framing on border issues.  Republicans, now in control of Congress, have been teeing up a series of GOP-led committee hearings on border issues, including in them speakers with extreme points of view that will sully any debate on how to identify viable solutions.

For instance, on February 15, the Border Patrol union president, Brandon Judd, participated in a Congressional hearing entitled “President Biden’s Border Crisis is a Public Health Crisis.”  Judd has been known to peddle the white supremacist fringe “replacement theory,” which suggests immigrants of color are being brought into the United States to replace white people.

Judd’s testimony was filled with fearmongering talking points about untraceable migrant “getaways” and cartels controlling border towns.  His flawed arguments would seem to undermine the efforts of Border Patrol agents on whose behalf he purports to be a champion.

Republicans also take field trips to border communities to exemplify the so-called “border crisis.”  The photo-ops they take meant to dramatize their excursions to the borderlands also are intended to challenge the Biden administration by forcing the topic to stay in the public domain.  Unfortunately, the partisan visits only magnify misinformation used to further harm border communities with proposals that don’t reflect border communities’ realities.

On February 3, at Friendship Park in San Diego, where President Biden has greenlit the construction of Trump’s 30-foot border walls that will destroy that unique binational park, San Diego Sector Chief Arron Heitke led a Congressional visit that included Senator Katie Boyd Britt of Alabama.  In a live tweet from Friendship Park, Senator Boyd Britt called San Diego the fentanyl trafficking epicenter.

Republican Senator Joni Ernst, also on that delegation, is now proposing “having every vehicle entering the Southern border screened by a drug-sniffing police dog.”  This preposterous idea will have profound financial implications for millions of people who cross the land ports of entry in US-based border towns.

If his State of the Union speech is any indicator, President Biden has given up on border issues as he continues charging forward for the presidential election of 2024.  Instead of suggesting that Congress needs to militarize border communities by increasing resources for border agents, President Biden needs to propose solutions that strengthen the rights of people who call the borderlands home and commit to protecting those crossing through them seeking safe harbor.

+ Articles by this author

The People’s Tribune opens its pages to voices of the movement for change. Our articles are written by individuals or organizations, along with our own reporting. Bylined articles reflect the views of the authors. Articles entitled “From the Editors” reflect the views of the editorial board. Please credit the source when sharing: peoplestribune.orgPlease donate to help us keep bringing you voices of the movement for change. Click here. We’re all volunteer, no paid staff. The People’s Tribune is a 501C4 organization.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Featured

ICE Fears Put Pregnant Immigrants and Their Babies at Risk

Fear of deportation is deterring people without permanent legal status from critical care. Doctors are worried for the health of pregnant immigrants, and the health of their pregnancies. This story was originally reported by 19thnews.org.

Government Shutdown and the Blame Game

Using a bold-faced lie President Trump and Vice President Vance blamed immigrants, particularly the undocumented, for the government shutdown now in effect throughout the country. The Republican plan would increase Obamacare payments and make Medicaid cuts.

Emmy-Winning Journalist Deported After Reporting on Anti-Trump Protest

Emmy award-winning journalist Mario Guevara was deported to El Salvador – a country he fled over 20 years ago — in retaliation for filming law enforcement activities, says the Committee to Protect Journalists.

A Salute to Chicagoans Fighting ICE

A salute to Chicagoans fighting ICE and to the food delivery worker on a bicycle who outrode ICE agents after they tried to kidnap him on the streets of downtown Chicago.

Over 60 Lawmakers Launch Investigation Into Trump Administration’s Disappearances

Some Democrats in Congress have announced they are investigating the Trump administration’s practice of disappearing immigrants to other countries.

More from the People's Tribune