BIDEN v. TRUMP ON IMMIGRATION POLICY: Part 1. Overview

THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES ON IMMIGRATION POLICY: Part 1. Overview

By Christopher Kerosky

Next 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/#

LAS DIFERENCIAS ENTRE JOE BIDEN Y DONALD TRUMP EN LOS ASUNTOS DE INMIGRACIÓN. Parte 1

 

LAS DIFERENCIAS ENTRE JOE BIDEN Y DONALD TRUMP EN LOS ASUNTOS DE INMIGRACIÓN.  Parte 1

Por Christopher Kerosky

https://www.facebook.com/periodico.alpunto

En este artículo, hago un breve resumen sobre la posición de cada candidato sobre las políticas migratorias, como tal y cual lo han hecho en sus declaraciones públicas y su plataforma de campaña. En muchas de esta se ven las diferencias esenciales en la política de inmigración bajo las administraciones de Obama-Biden y Trump.

En la página de internet de Donald Trump declara lo siguiente: “Para restaurar el estado de derecho y asegurar nuestra frontera, el presidente Trump está comprometido a construir un muro fronterizo y garantizar la rápida expulsión de las personas que ingresan ilegalmente. Para proteger a los trabajadores estadounidenses, el presidente apoya el fin de la migración en cadena, la eliminación de la lotería de visas y el traslado del país a un sistema de entrada basado en el mérito. Estas reformas promoverán la seguridad y la prosperidad de todos los estadounidenses al mismo tiempo ayudarán a los nuevos ciudadanos a asimilarse y prosperar ". https://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/immigration/

Fiel a sus promesas durante la campaña de 2016, Trump ha implementado una agenda integral para reducir la inmigración legal e indocumentada durante los últimos cuatro años. Esto ha incluido luchar por la financiación de su "muro" (que, en realidad, son mayores barreras) en la frontera con México; una política que prohíbe la inmigración de muchos países musulmanes; y severas restricciones al asilo y la condición de refugiado. Ha intentado y ha logrado en gran medida reducir cualquier forma de amnistía para inmigrantes indocumentados como DACA, DAPA y estatus de protección temporal (TPS) para centroamericanos. Como abogado de inmigración con 30 años de experiencia, durante seis administraciones, puedo decirles que esta administración ha sido la más restrictiva y que más ha castigado a los inmigrantes.

Basado en sus declaraciones y las de su campaña, Joe Biden revertiría gran parte de eso. Su página de internet dice: “Joe Biden comprende el dolor que sienten todas las familias en los Estados Unidos a quienes las que se ha retirado a un ser querido del país, incluso bajo la Administración Obama-Biden, y cree que debemos hacer mejor para respetar nuestras leyes de manera humana y preservar la dignidad de las familias inmigrantes, refugiados y solicitantes de asilo”. https://joebiden.com/immigration/#

WHAT THE ELECTION RESULTS MEAN FOR IMMIGRANTS.  Here’s 5 positive takeaways:

1.     Democrats won control of the House, which means they won control of House Committees.  This is a significant victory for immigrants.  Among other things, it will mean the death of  Republicans’ pending anti-immigration proposals to reduce family reunification or impose criminal penalties on being undocumented.  

2.    DACA legislation more likely now.  This means that there will probably be positive legislation like the Dream Act passing the House – something that never happened under the Republican-held House of Paul Ryan.  This would confront the Senate and Trump with having to approve a solution for DACA-holders or go on record as vetoing it—something that neither has yet had to do.

3.    Good riddance, Goodlatte. One of the most strident anti-immigrant members Congress was Bob Goodlatte of Virginia, who happened to run the House Judiciary Committee.  He used this post to block any reasonable immigration reform from ever being considered including legislation to help DACA recipients.  He’ll no longer have that power.  The new Committee Chair, Democrat Jerome Nadler, is likely to make a solution for DACA recipients a top priority.

4.  Adios Mr. Brat.  In 2014, Economics Professor and Tea Party favorite Dave Brat unseated one of the Republican leaders of the House, Eric Cantor, by attacking Cantor for simply being willing to consider immigration reform.  Long before Trump tried it, Brat cynically exploited fear of immigrants in his electorate in order to gain votes and power.  This election, Brat himself was unseated, by Abigail Spanberger, a first-time Democratic candidate.  Her website promises to support a solution for DACA-recipients and a pathway to citizenship for the undocumented.

5.   Building that wall just got harder. During his first two years, Trump has yet to get one dime from Congress to construct his wall and now, he’s even less likely to get it in his last two years…. But then again, no matter for as Trump has often repeated to his base: Mexico’s gonna pay for that.  It’s just that no one has told them yet.