Summary
Highlights
During the 2024 US presidential debate, Kamala Harris avoided a direct question about the Biden administration's delayed action on record-high illegal border crossings. Instead, she criticized Donald Trump's rally rhetoric, a tactic that Trump reciprocated by questioning attendance at her own rallies. This evasion highlights immigration as a major vulnerability for Harris, with more Americans trusting Trump on the issue.
The video distinguishes between legal immigrants, who have government permission, and illegal or undocumented immigrants. It explains that some undocumented individuals can become legal by seeking asylum, a protection for those persecuted in their home countries. Asylum seekers must reach US soil to apply, and decisions are made by immigration courts. Asylum grants have varied historically, but the 2010s saw a surge, particularly from Mexico and Central America, leading to increased encounters at the US Southern border.
US border patrol encounters with migrants rose sharply under President Trump, receding during the pandemic, then spiking again under President Biden, peaking at 250,000 per month in 2023. This overwhelmed the system, with migrants fleeing crime, gang violence, corruption, and dictatorships. David Bier of the CATO Institute attributes this to an unprecedented US labor shortage alongside economic downturns in South America and Mexico. The crisis fueled a political war: Trump implemented strict restrictions like Title 42, while Democrats emphasized expanding legal pathways. Biden repealed many Trump policies but kept Title 42 until 2023. Republicans largely blamed Biden for the crisis, leading to a profound shift in American public opinion. Between 2019 and 2022, Republican support for border security remained steady, while Democratic support increased by 10%. Overall, American desire for decreased immigration rose to 55%, a majority since 2005. This shift negatively impacted Biden's approval on immigration, making it his biggest weakness.
In 2021, Biden assigned Kamala Harris the role of leading efforts with Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries (Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador) to address the root causes of migration. This involved improving economic conditions and promoting investment, leading to over $5 billion in private investments. Harris also adopted a tougher stance, publicly stating, 'Do not come,' to potential migrants. While encounters from these specific countries fell, overall encounters remained high due to increased migration from other nations like Venezuela and China. Despite not being responsible for overall border policy, Republicans began labeling her as Biden's 'border czar' and blaming her for the crisis.
Republicans continued to criticize Biden and Harris even as the administration began cracking down on the border. Biden endorsed a bill for border restrictions and increased legal pathways, which some Republicans initially supported but abandoned after Trump's disapproval. Biden then implemented restrictions via executive orders, leading to a drop in migrant encounters. Harris has since put border security at the forefront of her campaign, emphasizing law enforcement and consequences for illegal crossings. While majorities of both Harris and Trump supporters agree on the need for more border security, more voters trust Trump on immigration. Harris's support for stricter border measures may inadvertently legitimize Trump's policies, making it harder for her to differentiate her approach.
The video argues that border security alone is only half the solution; addressing legal immigration pathways is the other crucial half. People are willing to risk their lives to reach the US regardless of restrictions, and without more accessible legal routes, the border will continue to be overwhelmed. Currently, only 3% of permanent residency applicants receive status, highlighting the bureaucratic hurdles. Creating more legal pathways would funnel migrants into an orderly system that the US can control. Harris promises to implement clear legal pathways and improve the current system, though without specific details. Public support exists for this, with majorities favoring admitting high-skilled immigrants and providing a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants already in the US. Trump, meanwhile, focuses solely on border security and aims to curtail legal immigration. While Americans may trust Harris less on immigration, her proposals are more aligned with fixing the underlying problem and what the public generally desires.