THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES ON IMMIGRATION POLICY: Part 1. Overview
By Christopher KeroskyNext month there is a critical Presidential election for all Americans, but especially for immigrants. The positions of each candidate on immigration policy are significantly different as is clear from their past policies and their public statements this year.
Donald Trump’s website states the following: “To restore the rule of law and secure our border, President Trump is committed to constructing a border wall and ensuring the swift removal of unlawful entrants. To protect American workers, the President supports ending chain migration, eliminating the Visa Lottery, and moving the country to a merit-based entry system. These reforms will advance the safety and prosperity of all Americans while helping new citizens assimilate and flourish.” https://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/immigration/
True to his promises during the 2016 campaign, Trump has implemented a comprehensive agenda to reduce legal and undocumented immigration over the last four years. This has included fighting for funding for his “wall” (really, increased barriers) on the Mexican border; a policy barring immigration from many Muslim countries; and severe r
estrictions on asylum and refugee status. He has tried and largely succeeded in scaling back any forms of amnesty for undocumented immigrants such as DACA, DAPA and temporary protected status (TPS) for Central Americans. As an immigration lawyer practicing 30 years, during six administrations, I can tell you this administration has been the most restrictive and punitive toward immigrants during those three decades.
Based upon his statements and those of his campaign, Joe Biden would reverse much of that. His website says: “Joe Biden understands the pain felt by every family across the U.S. that has had a loved one removed from the country, including under the Obama-Biden Administration, and he believes we must do better to uphold our laws humanely and preserve the dignity of immigrant families, refugees, and asylum-seekers.” https://joebiden.com/immigration/#
