Getting to truth about issues on the border
The myths that some politicians keep circulating about the U.S.-Mexico border have resulted in another disappointing congressional session for immigration reform.
Instead of crafting muchneeded solutions to address the fate of young immigrant “Dreamers,” the backlog of cases in immigration courts or any of the myriad problems caused by outdated immigration laws, policymakers spent most of their time wrangling over Title 42, an order invoked during the COVID-19 pandemic to manage border crossings.
Disinformation prevents policymakers from having honest discussions and enacting sensible solutions. The complex U.S.Mexico border region is a confluence of cultural, social and economic communities whose problems need sophisticated solutions not easily summarized by sound bites. Yet many people continue to peddle misconceptions about the border and engage in partisan theater such as dispatching migrants to Vice President Kamala Harris’ home or creating a wasteful wall of shipping containers, as the Arizona governor has done.
Here are some facts to counter common misconceptions about the U.S.-Mexico border.
It has been hard to miss the images of hundreds of migrants waiting along the Rio Grande in Texas in recent weeks, hoping to request asylum at the border if the courts were to lift Title 42 border restrictions. The mayor of El Paso declared a state of emergency to obtain more federal and state funding to deal with the hundreds of migrants sleeping on city streets.
Title 42, which allows U.S. authorities to quarantine or refuse entry to people traveling from regions suffering a disease outbreak, has been used by the Trump and Biden administrations to expel migrants at the border en masse.
Republicans have repeatedly prevented the Biden administration from discontinuing its use as the pandemic has wound down. A group of states asked the Supreme Court to keep the border restrictions in place, and justices ordered that the restrictions stay in place until they issue a ruling this year.
But Title 42 has not helped control the border. It has made the situation worse. Those expelled simply try to cross again. It also promotes criminal activity by human traffickers because migrants attempt to cross by hiring smugglers instead of presenting themselves to border authorities.
The real solution is to create an orderly, humane way of processing claims for asylum by expanding border authorities’ capacity and funding, including adding immigration judges.
The U.S. government is hardly putting out welcome mats for migrants at the border. U.S. Customs and Border Protection employs about 26,000 Border Patrol agents and uses technology such as drones, thermal imaging devices and sensors that detect heat and motion to secure the approximately 2,000-mile southern border.
About 700 miles of walls or fencing fortify the border, but that isn’t feasible in some areas. President Donald Trump’s administration built about 450 miles of walls, much of it replacing existing structures. The Biden administration halted new border construction but continues to repair and replace old fencing.
Border security has been a budget priority for years. The budget for the border agency has soared from $363 million in 1993 to $16.7 billion appropriated in the latest omnibus bill, which also included $800 million for local governments to deal with migrant arrivals.
Yes, there is a crisis at the border. But it’s a humanitarian crisis, not an “invasion.” A combination of factors, including civil strife, climate change and political instability — some caused by U.S. policies — has forced many people around the world to leave their homes in search of employment and safety.
The number of migrants on the move internationally has returned to pre-pandemic levels. The number of apprehensions by Border Patrol agents continues to reach new highs.
The humanitarian crisis demands that politicians do their job to secure the southern border and do so humanely. It just might be possible if politicians perpetuate facts rather than harmful myths.