Immigration Reform
The Hot Potato Nobody Wants to Touch
Immigration returned to the news cycle with Former President Trump attacking the Haitian Immigrants in Springfield, Ohio. His claims were proven false, but it still stirred up more threats of violence.
The Border Security Bill, S 4361, would have restricted migrants claiming asylum, clarified the White House’s parole authority, ended asylum seekers remaining in the U.S. while they waited for hearings, and given the President authority to close the southern border, when the number of migrants got too high. It failed in the Senate in May and never made it to the House. Meanwhile, Biden issued new asylum restrictions that also reduced illegal border crossings. In recent years, most of those crossing the southern border have come from Central America, Africa, and Asia rather than from Mexico. In fact, we have a net migration to Mexico.
Immigration has been a political issue for more than 30 years, particularly at the southern borders. Immigrants who come directly to the US from other countries are processed under a severe quota system. Most arrived using a work permit and visa for a specific period. Agricultural workers regularly cross the southern border using seasonal permits and are housed in rural temporary facilities close to farms.
This controversy seems ironic since the United States is a nation of immigrants. Our predecessors came from somewhere else, except for a small number of native Americans. During the period from the 16th to the 19th Century, most of the immigrants came from Europe and were White. When people of color started arriving from all over the world, it set off the first immigration war. The Chinese first were limited, and then were barred from entry after they had built the Trans Continental Railroad. Our economy is dependent upon a regular flow of immigrants. It was just the past two years when millions crossed the southern border both legally and illegally and swamped the local resources.
The United State is not unique. Recent years have seen a flood of migrants across international borders due to regional wars, famine, natural disasters, and autocratic governments. For years Syria led the pack, but now Russia and the Ukraine have seen a massive outflow. Africa sends them across the Mediterranean where many perish at sea. Most Palestinians are trapped and can’t flee.
Considering the current dysfunctional political climate where we can’t even pass a budget, it seems unlikely that we will get any major immigration reform in the foreseeable future.