Staff Reports
President Biden has flipped the script on his border policy, finally moving to put some serious teeth into what has been a chaotic situation at the U.S.-Mexico border. His new plan is like adding a much-needed bouncer to a rowdy party, aiming to limit the number of people slipping in through the back door while putting the boot to those trying to exploit the system with bogus asylum claims.
This fresh policy allows the government to trigger deportation powers for illegal immigrants more easily than before. The conditions are straightforward: if illegal immigration stays above 1,500 encounters a day for 28 days, the expulsions remain in full force. Previously, the timeline for maintaining these powers was much shorter, making it far too easy for individuals to game the system. Now, even unaccompanied minors are part of the count. That’s right, the administration is finally showing that they know how to quantify a problem, even if it has taken them a minute to get there.
Biden expands border shutdown policy that makes immigrant expulsion easierhttps://t.co/W2YMiuWbA5 pic.twitter.com/Xqq7JXIqMc
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) October 1, 2024
The new measures actually harken back to tactics employed by Donald Trump during his administration, a move Biden supporters wouldn’t have predicted. Apparently, it took nearly three years for Biden to realize that “let everyone in” was not a sustainable immigration policy. It seems that the rising numbers of illegal encounters—more than 300,000 in December 2022—served as a wake-up call, forcing the administration to adopt strategies that Trump had implemented, though now they are being dressed up with a new label that makes them look more palatable to the left.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas proclaimed victory with this new plan, which supposedly has already started to yield results. The data suggests that Biden’s latest maneuvers brought the number of illegal encounters down dramatically—fewer than 108,000 in August. While this might sound impressive, it is important to remember that just months ago, the numbers were almost triple that. However, the number of illegal entries still proves just how much work lies ahead in securing the border properly.
Not everyone is celebrating Biden’s new tough-guy persona. Immigrant rights advocates have pounced on this tightening, claiming the policy is illegal and should be reversed. Their complaints could almost be seen as a badge of honor for the administration, showcasing that they are finally doing something meaningful rather than letting the border run wild. Ironically, this comes after years of Democrats complaining about the lack of funding for enforcement, while all the while being the ones proposing cuts to immigration funding. That puts a whole new spin on accountability, doesn’t it?
In the end, this apparent newfound dedication to an effective and secure border is enough to make even the staunchest conservative raise an eyebrow. One can only imagine what the future holds. With the Democrats finally beginning to take their head out of the sand, conservatives can only hope this marks the beginning of a more practical and effective approach to immigration that prioritizes lawfulness over chaos.
