Biden needs to restore American values to immigration policy without triggering a border surge
Opinion by Editorial Board
Dec. 24, 2020 at 12:58 p.m. EST
AFTER THE measures designed by the Trump administration to terrify, threaten and deter migrants from seeking refuge in the United States, President-elect Joe Biden faces a needle-threading challenge immediately on taking office. As he seeks to recalibrate immigration policy so that it is more compassionate, rational and aligned with America’s traditions and interests, he must also avoid triggering a new humanitarian crisis at the Mexican border featuring unauthorized Central Americans and Mexicans streaming north to escape the economic fallout of recent hurricanes and the pandemic.
Make no mistake. Despite Mr. Biden’s distaste for the cruelty and bigotry at the heart of President Trump’s immigration policies, it would be self-defeating for the new administration to take steps that would encourage, intentionally or not, a new surge of illegal border crossing. Any hope of building public support for a legislative overhaul of the immigration system, let alone bipartisan backing in Congress, would be blown to pieces by fresh images of pandemonium at the border.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/biden-needs-to-restore-american-values-to-immigration-policy-without-triggering-a-border-surge/2020/12/24/d1b60100-43d7-11eb-975c-d17b8815a66d_story.html
