President Biden is considering granting green cards to as many as 4,000 undocumented immigrants who are facing deportation, provided they have lived in the US for at least ten years without any serious criminal convictions. This proposal was put forward by the Justice Department’s Executive Office for Immigration Review in September 2023, with applicants also required to demonstrate good moral character and exceptional hardship that would be faced if they were deported. However, there could be a significant waiting period before the immigration judges can approve their applications, which may take years.
In the first 100 days of his presidency, Joe Biden reversed several immigration policies implemented by former President Donald Trump, including the “Remain in Mexico” program, which were later upheld by federal court rulings. Despite these changes, the number of migrants illegally crossing into the US has continued to set records annually, with 7.4 million apprehended at the southern border according to US Customs and Border Protection data. Additionally, border authorities have reported catching individuals on US terror watchlists attempting to enter the country, further adding to concerns about immigration security.
A significant number of migrants who enter the US are subsequently released into the country, with Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas acknowledging that over 85% of such individuals are let go, along with 1.8 million “gotaways” who manage to evade arrest altogether. The Biden administration has also expanded the humanitarian parole program for migrants from countries like Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, with more than 320,000 individuals flown into or directly entering the US through this initiative. However, incidents like the murder of a Georgia nursing student by a Venezuelan national who entered the US illegally have raised questions about the effectiveness and consequences of such policies.
Critics of President Biden’s immigration policies, including congressional Republicans, have slammed the administration for abandoning Trump-era policies and relaxing detention and removal rules for most migrants. House Speaker Mike Johnson highlighted the dismantling of border security progress achieved by the US Border Patrol due to Biden’s decisions, such as stopping the construction of the southern border wall and ending the Remain in Mexico policy. Republicans have called for the reinstatement of such policies to stem the increasing flow of migrants across the border, emphasizing the impact it could have on reducing illegal crossings.
House Republicans took action against Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas for his handling of federal immigration law enforcement and accusations of lying to Congress about the security of the US border. This backlash against Mayorkas follows in the footsteps of similar criticism faced by other Democratic administrations in the past, with former President Barack Obama also implementing a green card program for certain individuals under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival initiative. Legal restrictions limit the number of illegal aliens that can have their removal canceled to 4,000 per fiscal year, as outlined in a 2017 memo from the Executive Office for Immigration Review, further complicating the execution of such proposals.
As President Biden grapples with the complex issue of immigration reform, recent events like the surge near El Paso, Texas, involving migrants breaking down a border fence to enter the US, illustrate the ongoing challenges faced by border security agencies. The administration continues to face scrutiny and criticism over its immigration policies, with calls for reinstating stricter measures to address the influx of migrants at the southern border. The debate surrounding immigration laws and enforcement remains a contentious and divisive issue in American politics, with the Biden administration under pressure to find a balance between humanitarian considerations and national security concerns in dealing with undocumented immigrants.
