Title: Three Realities of the US-Mexico Border Crisis: Trump’s, Biden’s, and the Reality on the Ground
The border situation in the United States presented three distinct realities on Thursday, each with its unique perspective.
1. The Trump Reality:
President Joe Biden is to blame for the border crisis, and a military force is needed to secure the border, control an invasion of “murderers,” round up the undocumented, and expel them from the US. This is the narrative put forward by former President Donald Trump.
2. The Biden Reality:
Trump is responsible for the current crisis as he terminated a bipartisan compromise that would have granted presidents new powers to manage the influx of migrants and overhaul the broken asylum process. This version of events highlights the importance of addressing the 3.3 million backlog of asylum claims, which has been a significant contributor to the current immigration policy predicament. People wait for years before their asylum claim is heard, leading many to make the perilous journey.
3. The Lived Reality:
This grim reality involves children and families facing hardships such as hunger and hypothermia in open-air camps along the border. The plight of these individuals was depicted in court filings concerning camps near the US-Mexico border, which seek to compel the federal government to improve the welfare of those waiting to make asylum claims.
The 3.3 million case backlog of asylum claims is a primary concern in the current immigration policy dilemma, and the bipartisan bill aimed to address it by adding personnel at the border and enhancing the immigration court system. The lengthy wait for asylum claims to be heard is a significant factor motivating individuals to make the treacherous journey.
Don’t anticipate hearing from Trump regarding the migrant perspective, as he visited Eagle Pass, Texas, on Thursday and has promised a drastic deportation effort. He referred to migrants as “Joe Biden’s illegals and murderers,” and planning is underway in his circle regarding how to implement such an initiative. If Congress does not approve such an operation, CNN reported that Trump could redirect funds from the Pentagon to finance it, as he did during his first term.
Any large-scale deportation effort would necessitate constructing detention camps for migrants awaiting deportation and enlisting federal and local law enforcement to assist with widespread arrests of undocumented immigrants throughout the country.
There is historical precedent for such an operation in the form of “Operation Wetback,” which took place during the Dwight Eisenhower administration. Trump has previously referenced this military-style deportation effort, which used derogatory terminology and involved rounding up Mexican laborers from fields and ranches in targeted raids, detaining them at border detention centers, and ultimately expelling many to Mexico.
Before Trump’s speech at Shelby Park in Eagle Pass, Rosa Flores reported that the state had taken over border Website security from the federal government and planned to establish a military base there. US Border Patrol had been kicked out of the area, and efforts were underway to fortify the border with concertina wire, shipping containers, and buoy barriers. However, these actions are subject to ongoing court disputes.
Trump’s visit to the border will serve as a showcase for his depiction of a nation under siege from an influx of migrant criminals and invaders. Brownsville, Texas, which has been able to more effectively manage the crisis through cooperation between state and federal entities, provides an intriguing contrast to the militarized scene at Eagle Pass.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas praised Brownsville as a model for handling the migrant crisis, emphasizing the importance of collaboration between all parties involved. Biden has recently gone on the offensive regarding immigration issues following Trump’s successful pressure on Capitol Hill to scrap the bipartisan border bill.
US voters will likely have a choice between Biden’s and Trump’s realities in November if, as expected, the two men secure their respective party nominations. The migrants fleeing to the US despite the risks may feel like they have exhausted their options.
