We’re Only a ‘Nation of Immigrants’ When It’s Convenient
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The Democrats are the party that stands for immigrants and other marginalized groups — so long as there are no political costs involved. During the presidential campaign, Joe Biden denounced the naked cruelty of Donald Trump’s immigration policy loudly and often. The 2020 election was framed as a choice between a compassionate administration that would treat immigrants fairly and a monstrous nativist who separates families and cages children.
In his campaign literature, stump speeches and public statements, Biden frequently invoked the idea that the United States is a “nation of immigrants.” Biden promised to create a “fair and humane immigration system” to undo the damage caused by Trump’s “cruel and senseless” policies.
But when push comes to shove, all this flowery talk about ideals and values is exposed as nothing but empty rhetoric.
Though Biden attempted to signal a reset on immigration with some early executive actions, we’re back to business as usual. Facing an influx of migrants and mounting pressure from the right, Biden has the deportation machine running at full steam.
The thousands of Haitian refugees awaiting processing under a bridge at the Texas border represent the biggest test of Biden’s commitment to immigration and asylum reform — and he’s failing.
Biden promised a clean break from Trump’s policies, but his administration is using the same tools and tactics, such as the “remain in Mexico” policy. Federal officials are also relying on Title 42, the brainchild of infamous white nationalist Trump adviser Stephen Miller, to fast-track Haitians for deportation.
Using the pandemic as a pretext, Title 42 allows for the “expedited removal” of Haitians, swiftly returning them to the abject misery that reigns on the Caribbean island in the wake of a catastrophic earthquake and presidential assassination.
The year isn’t over and the Biden Administration has expelled nearly 600,000 people. That’s twice as many as Trump deported in any given year of his administration.
When images came out showing border patrol agents on horseback using bridle reins like whips to corral Haitian refugees, top officials in the Biden Administration bemoaned their mistreatment and called for investigations while simultaneously justifying the deportations and denial of asylum.
Biden was applauded for naming the first Latino immigrant to head the Department of Homeland Security.
But the value of this hollow symbolic gesture was called into question when Alejandro Mayorkas defended the mass deportation of Haitians and other asylum seekers, saying: “If you come to the United States illegally, you will be returned. Your journey will not succeed, and you will be endangering your life and your family’s life.”
The chasm between the Biden Administration’s rhetoric and its policy boils down to a perverse incentive structure that affects every aspect of U.S. politics.
During the campaign, it was advantageous for Biden to engage in a lot of “nation of immigrants” posturing to draw a bright line between himself and Trump.
But with the mid-terms coming up, the Democrats feel the pressure to lurch right. The mid-term electorate is generally smaller, older and more conservative.
And you can see it in the way they’ve moderated a lot of their stances — abandoning police reform, compromising on infrastructure, etc.
Immigration is no exception.
The Democrats are already vulnerable on the issue. Approval of the way Biden is handling the border is sliding, and Texas Republicans are capitalizing on the situation in Del Rio, with a lot of inflammatory statements about an immigrant “invasion.”
In particular, images of Haitian refugees huddled in camps under a bridge make for a great far-right propaganda tool, activating both anti-Black racism and general anti-immigrant sentiment.
Speaking purely in terms of political calculations, Biden is motivated to clean up the situation in Texas fast and continue to deport immigrants at record levels.
Showing compassion toward Haitians or demonstrating American values as a “nation of immigrants” rank pretty low on his list of priorities.
