How Trump Created The 'Border Crisis' — And How Biden Can Fix It
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
In 2014, the Obama administration was faced with a surge in unaccompanied minors from Central America showing up at our border and seeking asylum. In an effort to reduce the number of kids trekking across Mexico, it created a program to let them apply for asylum in their home countries. Some 13,000 did, helping to ease the rush.
You can guess what happened next. Donald Trump became president and acted on his twin beliefs: anything that Barack Obama did was bad, and anything that helped foreigners was worse. He killed the program, and soon the number of Central American kids crossing over began to grow. By the spring of 2019, his administration was faced with its very own crisis at the border.
His Department of Homeland Security responded with harsh measures — separating children from parents in large numbers, expelling children from Central America into Mexico and forcing asylum seekers to remain for months in Mexico in squalid camps.
Today, we see another tide of Central Americans coming north, and Republicans blame President Joe Biden for enticing them. They refer to it as "Biden's border crisis," as though it suddenly exploded on January 20.
In fact, it emerged when the White House was just a gleam in Biden's eye. The increase began last spring and built steadily over the remainder of Trump's presidency. From May to October, the number of "southwest land border encounters" recorded by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol nearly tripled. In truth, it was dire conditions in their home countries that drove the migrants.
Republicans claim they were emboldened by Biden's plan to stop work on Trump's border wall — the one Mexico was supposed to pay for. That theory is implausible, because Trump added only 47 miles of barriers in places that didn't have them before.
"Only a few miles were built in South Texas, the area most prone to illegal crossings," The New York Times recently reported. "Instead, much of the construction, especially in the Trump administration's closing days, has taken place in remote parts of Arizona where crossings in recent years have been relatively uncommon."
If Biden deserves any responsibility for the recent surge, it's not because of what he did wrong but because of what he did right. Trump's fondness for systematic cruelty may have discouraged some Central Americans. But the cruelty was impossible to justify, even for an ostensibly good purpose.
Under Trump's zero tolerance policy, thousands of children were taken from their parents when the families crossed the border to exercise their right to seek political asylum. Most of the parents were sent back to their home countries. Some of the kids spent weeks sleeping on the floor in chain-link cages. Last fall, we learned the horrifying truth that the Trump administration had lost track of the parents of 545 children, making it impossible to reunite the families.
The brutality was a design feature. Trump's White House Chief of Staff John Kelly boasted that "a big name of the game is deterrence." But sometimes deterrence asks too much.
There are alternative remedies, such as letting more foreigners in through authorized channels. But Trump was against immigration of any sort. His administration virtually eliminated admissions for refugees, and last year, it slashed the number of green cards for legal permanent residents.
Today, the worldwide backlog of applications for green cards is at five million. Many recipients have to wait ten years or more to be admitted. Cato Institute analysts David Bier and Alex Nowrasteh reach this startling conclusion: "At no time in American history has immigration been as legally restricted as it is currently."
For the moment, the Biden administration has the task of coping with the border crisis while dismantling the inhumane practices of its predecessor. In the longer term, it could relieve pressure on the border by increasing refugee admissions and allotting more slots to the Central American countries that have produced so many migrants.
It could create a program for guest workers from Mexico and Central America, as proposed by Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. Biden has already moved to restore the Central American Minors Program to provide "a safe, legal, and orderly alternative to the risks incurred in the attempt to migrate to the United States irregularly."
Giving people an avenue to come here legally in order to keep them from coming illegally? A crazy idea, but it just might work.
Steve Chapman is a columnist for the Chicago Tribune.
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Donald Trump was the only President in my lifetime to actually provide a solution to the problems on the border, starting with the "Stay in Mexico Policy." And he did it despite tremendous obstruction amid the chants from the speaker of "not a penny for the wall."
To somehow claim that his successor, who has clearly opened the borders, is inheriting "a mess" is the epitome of gaslighting!
What solution?
This one:
"In September, there were some 40,000 arrests, the lowest month this fiscal year and down from nearly 133,000 apprehensions in May.
The reason? Determination and sustained pressure by the Trump administration — including, yes, threats of tariffs — to convince the government of Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador to do its part to stop the flow of migrants, mostly from Central America traversing Mexican territory.
Last June, to avoid the prospect of tariffs on Mexican automobiles, López Obredor agreed to boost immigration enforcement and allow more migrants to await their US immigration proceedings in Mexico.
To crack down on the migrant routes, Mexico agreed to send a newly created National Guard to its borders and to dismantle human smuggling networks. Thousands of troops are deployed to Mexico’s northern border, where they’ve established 20 checkpoints. On the southern border with Guatemala, 12,000 troops are deployed, with 21 checkpoints.
Moreover, military helicopters have been deployed on both borders for aerial surveillance.
President Trump has expressed his gratitude for the Mexican response. In his speech in September at the UN General Assembly, he said, “I would like to thank President López Obrador of Mexico for the great cooperation we are receiving, and for right now putting 27,000 troops on our southern border. Mexico is showing us great respect, and I respect them in return.”
Naturally, not all are happy with what the Mexican government is doing. Media personality and open-borders advocate Jorge Ramos, in a recent New York Times op-ed, wrote, “President Trump is using Mexico. And, against all logic, Mexico is letting him get away with it. This has to change.”
But López Obrador doesn’t deserve Ramos’ scorn. The Mexican president evidently understands what Ramos does not. Given the deep, integrated ties between the Mexican and United States economies, Mexico cannot simply afford a contentious relationship with any American president.
In a recent press conference, López Obrador defended his position, “We represent our country with dignity, and we have nothing to be ashamed of. The sovereignty of Mexico is defended. At the same time, we do not want confrontation … We are especially interested in a good relationship with the United States.”
It doesn’t hurt that he has on his side a sizable body of public opinion. Polls show that many Mexicans are tired of being a waystation for increased migration through the country, seeing it as a drain on Mexico’s economy and services.
It’s not surprising that Trump’s critics remain unmollified. They wanted the border infrastructure to buckle under the weight of the migration onslaught and overwhelm immigration courts, resulting in tens of thousands of migrants entering the US with scant oversight. But the Trump administration held firm and was able to defuse the crisis."
What valid solution did the former occupant of the White House ever provide?
Also, he doesn't have the brains to devise any solution. Any thing came from Satan's rectum, Stephen Miller, regarding immigration.
Democrats fought trump tool and nail over every tactic he used to control the border. Yet somehow it’s his fault the border Is wide open.
you can’t overestimate the delusion of some Democrats.
They seem to think if they keep repeating it, people will believe it.
Biden literally tore up the safe third country agreements Trump negotiated under the theory that anything Trump did was bad, and now we have a surge of migrants.
Somehow that Trump’s fault.
Now he is trying to renegotiate the same agreements:
I guess it was important to destroy everything Trump did first!
Anything he did do was bad. Seems there's always a 'surge of migrants'
YES, IT WAS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT! GREAT JOB PRESIDENT BIDEN!
Safe, third country agreements? Bullshit, dear. Trump told our allies to F-O, while simultaneously feeling up our adversaries. Also, please post a verifiable link to proof of those 'safe third-country agreements'.
Whether you recognize it or not, those stupid caravans started after Trump was nominated as his party's candidate. After his election, the flow trickled to a drip. Now, the chaos is ramping up again. You do the math.
trumpturd had a tramp stamp - all dictators welcome here
What facts?
Joseph Goebbels once said: "It is the absolute right of the State to supervise the formation of public opinion."
Repeating a lie 24/7 sometimes works, as demonstrated this past November.
"Repeating a lie 24/7 sometimes works, as demonstrated this past November."
So true!!!!!!!!!!! Really, the former occupant of the White House's denial of a fair and valid election is proof of that!!!!!!!
Then why were you guys so afraid of caravans in 2018?
We're still waiting on those hordes of migrant caravans, for over four years now!
Just like the Durham investigations!
What do you imagine that has to do with Democrats fighting Trump to keep the borders open and unsecured?
Well look how that is turning out once the PERCEIVED message by Mr. Biden was digested by the masses we have already.
Interesting readin that I know at least one of you will read. See3.2.1
That should help. You're welcome
No need. We've been waiting on these hordes of migrant caravans for over four years now, just like the Durham investigations. When are they going to lock up Hillary and President Obama?
And here they are. Enjoy your shopping.
I've read a lot on the site lately about projection, deflection, and closed minded people who only read what they know won't hurt their fragile sensibilities. Strange phenomenon.
Where are they?
Where have you been reading that? Sounds like you're describing today's gqp.
Has nothing to do with it, since nobody was trying to open and unsecure the borders. No matter what the right wing conspiracies tell you.
Why should that help? It has nothing to do with the question....as usual.
You asked why we were "worried", your words not those of the people at the time, Well here we are. they showed up. Biden let us in garb and all. Please tell me you ARE keeping up with the news lately.
So you are claiming that it took them 3 years to drive to the border? That's why you were panicked in 2018?
What else is new?
Your memory seems to lack some substance. Go back to that time and look at the coverage. It was the fucking media making a big deal out of it because ...........well.........."but Trump" and they were waiting with bated breath for them to get here so they could nail him.
And they didn't make it to the border all the way to begin with and most had to stay in Mexico (thank you Mr. Trump) and once the "stop the build" became the mantra, they started moving again. You surely can't think that all these people with new shoes, new clothes, full bellies and pre-printed signs just got all that done since January .................or can you?
Quit being so damned obtuse
Excuses, excuses, excuses!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Not an excuse. Fact. Go look it up. I already did for you. Oh, and it's your beloved CNN so it should be safe.
The right wing media, and your fellow right wingers were proclaiming doom...Doom...DOOM, because of that caravan.
Prove they didn't make it to the border. And if Trump made them stay in Mexico, then they DID make it to the border. WILL YOU MAKE UP YOUR MIND?!?!
In your mind it took them 3 years.
Excuses, excuses!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sorry JR, but the current uncontrollable surge started the moment bumbling Biden was "elected". It's doubtful that it can be stopped. This border bungle will continue to be a millstone around Biden's neck going forward.
I seriously doubt you read the two articles I posted. But thats ok.
I read the articles and know exactly what is going on and who deserves the blame. Your continuing to live in total denial of reality is not my problem
Speaking of total denial of reality. . .