In the midst of the worst border crisis in American history, the Biden administration is facing criticism for prioritizing a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants already in the US. The controversial approach has drawn the ire of House Republicans, who argue that the focus should be on deterring illegal immigration rather than granting amnesty.
The issue was brought up during a recent US-Mexico meeting in Mexico City, where Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas met with President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. The joint statement released after the meeting mentioned the “benefits” of regularizing the situation of Hispanic migrants who have been living in the US for several years, including those protected by the 2012 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, expressed his outrage at the announcement, stating that it is unconscionable to discuss amnesty for illegal immigrants while the country is facing a humanitarian disaster and a national security crisis at the border. Johnson called on President Biden to take immediate action to stop the flow of illegal immigration.
Since taking office, the Biden administration has made it clear that it wants to grant legal status to millions of illegal immigrants. On Day One, the administration introduced a comprehensive immigration reform bill that includes an eight-year path to citizenship for illegal immigrants, as well as immediate green cards for certain groups, such as farmworkers and DACA recipients.
However, the population of illegal immigrants has skyrocketed under the Biden administration. An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) report revealed that the number of illegal immigrants on the non-detained docket has more than doubled from 3.7 million in FY 2021 to over 6 million in FY 2023. This surge in numbers makes the prospect of amnesty less favorable for Republicans compared to previous years.
Despite the criticism, many Democrats share the administration’s goal of passing a pathway to citizenship for those who have entered the country illegally. Both House and Senate Democrats have proposed amnesties this year, with Senate Democrats insisting that any changes to the asylum system must be combined with legalization for undocumented immigrants.
The calls for a pathway to citizenship come at a time when the US is grappling with a historic migrant crisis at the border. In December alone, there have been 286,000 migrant encounters at the southern border, setting a new record for monthly encounters. This adds to the record-setting 2.4 million migrant encounters in FY 2023.
The Biden administration’s approach to the border crisis and its prioritization of a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants continues to be a contentious issue. Republicans argue for a focus on deterrence, while Democrats emphasize the need for a modernized immigration system and the legalization of long-standing undocumented immigrants.
Adam Shaw is a politics reporter for Digital, primarily covering immigration and border security. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter. Stay updated with the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews, and more political content by subscribing to this newsletter.
