Introduction:
President Joe Biden’s recent executive order to temporarily shut down asylum requests at the U.S.-Mexico border and impose other restrictions on the right to asylum has drawn comparisons to former President Donald Trump’s immigration policies. Critics argue that Biden’s actions reflect a continuation of border authoritarianism seen under Trump. However, it is important to recognize that Biden’s new asylum restrictions are not an aberration from his administration’s border policies, nor are they a departure from long-standing Democratic Party standards.
Biden’s Draconian Executive Order:
Under Biden’s executive order, asylum requests at the border will be halted once the average number of daily encounters reaches 2,500 between legal ports of entry. The restrictions will only be lifted once the daily average falls below 1,500 for seven consecutive days. These measures went into effect recently and have been criticized for severely restricting people’s legal right to seek asylum.
Exemptions and Higher Standards:
While there are some exemptions in place for unaccompanied minors, individuals with acute medical emergencies, severe trafficking victims, and those with existing appointments on the Customs and Border Protection app, the new plan demands a “new, substantially higher standard” for immediate exemptions. This standard is even higher than what was imposed under Trump’s 2018 asylum ban. Migrants who are expelled under the order will face a minimum five-year bar on reentry and potential criminal prosecution.
Bipartisan Commitment to Border Fascism:
The convergence between conservative and far-right border politics, with the far right often prevailing, can be attributed to a bipartisan commitment to border fascism. A Gallup poll revealed that 28% of Americans consider immigration to be the most important problem facing the U.S., leading politicians to lean into anti-migrant crisis narratives. This bipartisan fight on immigration has allowed vocal white nationalist Republicans to shape the discourse.
A Long-Standing Democratic Legacy:
Contrary to popular belief, immigration enforcement has been a pillar of the Democratic Party’s governance for three decades. Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama played significant roles in establishing an immigration enforcement apparatus that increased criminalization, detention, deportation, and militarization. Clinton’s 1996 immigration laws expanded the U.S.’s ability to detain and deport migrants, while Obama deported millions of people during his tenure.
Differences in Rhetoric, Not Substance:
The difference between Democrats and Republicans on immigration is more about rhetoric than substance. While Democrats condemn Republican nativism, they still implement policies that reject, eject, cage, and punish desperate migrants seeking safety and stability. Democrats use neoliberal language of management and order to justify their border logics, but the effects are just as disastrous and deadly.
Conclusion:
President Joe Biden’s recent executive order on asylum restrictions at the U.S.-Mexico border has drawn comparisons to former President Donald Trump’s immigration policies. However, it is important to recognize that Biden’s actions are not a departure from his administration’s border policies or from long-standing Democratic Party standards. The convergence of conservative and far-right border politics is a result of a bipartisan commitment to border fascism. Democrats may condemn Republican nativism, but their policies still send a nationalist message and have disastrous effects on desperate migrants. It is crucial to understand the long-standing legacy of immigration enforcement within the Democratic Party and to challenge the rhetoric that portrays them as pro-immigrant.
