Trump’s Immigration Reforms: A Response to Biden’s Policies

In the wake of significant changes in U.S. immigration policy under former President Joe Biden, Donald Trump has ramped up his own immigration and border security agenda since returning to office. Trump’s renewed efforts highlight the stark contrast between his administration’s approach and that of Biden’s, with a focus on reversing many of Biden’s policies that critics argue have led to increased border issues.

Open Borders: The Blame Game

Lora Ries, the director of the Heritage Foundation’s Border Security and Immigration Center, has been vocal in her critiques of Biden’s policies. In an interview with Fox News Digital, she stated, “What Biden did, I’d say, is the primary cause of the open borders and the millions he led in, including the bad actors who came along with them.” According to Ries, the scale of the current border crisis necessitates swift and decisive action to curtail the “flow” of migrants and deport those who have entered illegally.

Quick Reversals: Trump’s First Actions on Immigration

During his first two weeks back in the White House, Trump has issued a series of new executive orders aimed at reshaping U.S. immigration policy. Among these initiatives is a controversial proposal to end birthright citizenship, a long-standing policy that grants citizenship to anyone born on U.S. soil. Ries noted that many of Trump’s initial immigration actions closely resemble those from his first term. These reinstatements include the termination of Biden’s policies regarding mass parole and certain applications used by Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

“Ending mass parole, ending the CBP mobile one application,” Ries said, referencing decisions that Trump swiftly made upon re-assuming his role in the Oval Office.

A More Aggressive Stance on Immigration

In addition to reverting back to prior policies, Ries emphasized that Trump has taken a notably more aggressive approach than he did in 2017. For instance, his new executive orders include the suspension of the U.S. refugee admissions program, an initiative to mandate registration for all aliens residing in the U.S., and the creation of a Homeland Security task force in every state to enhance intelligence and operational capabilities.

“We have no idea who is all here, how many people… so requiring them to register with DHS is a smart move,” Ries stated, pointing out the significance of such measures for effective enforcement.

Addressing Remaining Challenges

Despite the proactive measures taken thus far, Ries insists that Trump still has a considerable amount of work ahead of him to fully realize his vision for U.S. immigration policy. Among her recommendations is a temporary pause on funding for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from the Department of Health and Human Services and the State Department, which she claims contribute to the complications surrounding immigration enforcement.

Ries pointed out the crucial need to tackle the backlog of immigration cases pending in both the Department of Homeland Security and the Justice Department, where over 13 million cases are currently awaiting resolution. “Getting those down to a manageable level year after year… if the backlog gets too high, pausing intake of applications until the backlog gets down to a manageable level,” she suggested.

The Unaccompanied Alien Children Dilemma

Another pressing concern that Ries highlighted is the situation concerning unaccompanied alien children. She posited that Trump could declare a state of emergency regarding the missing children and the related issue of sex trafficking. “Working to find those kids, but also pursuing the first part of the law that says it should be the policy to return children back to their home country versus bringing them in and giving them immigration benefits,” she remarked, stressing the importance of addressing this critical issue.

The Need for Legislative Support

While Trump’s executive actions paint a comprehensive picture of his immigration strategy, there remain notable limitations on what he can achieve unilaterally. Ries emphasized that congressional involvement will be essential for long-term solutions to immigration policies. “Congress needs to very quickly, drastically fund increased resources for ICE to continue detaining… ICE needs at least 100,000 beds,” she reported.

She further called on Congress to clamp down on the loopholes that Biden’s administration allegedly exploited. “Otherwise, the next Democrat president will issue executive orders to undo all this,” Ries warned, highlighting the precarious nature of executive actions in the realm of immigration reform.

In Conclusion: A Divided Approach to Immigration

As Donald Trump continues to push for significant reforms to U.S. immigration policy, the landscape remains fraught with challenges that require both swift executive action and congressional support. The stark differences between Trump’s and Biden’s immigration strategies underscore deep divisions in American political discourse surrounding border security and immigration reform.

Moving forward, the effectiveness of Trump’s ambitious plans will likely depend not only on his ability to implement decisive actions but also on securing bipartisan cooperation to craft solutions that address the complexities of immigration in today’s America.