For much of the Biden administration’s first three years in office, migration surged at the Mexican border. Administration officials frequently argued that the problem was beyond their control — a reflection not of U.S. policy but of global forces pushing people toward the border.
Then, starting in December, when the issue threatened President Biden’s re-election, he began a crackdown. The traffic of people crossing the border plummeted. Today, it remains near the lowest point since 2020 and not so different from levels during parts of the Trump and Obama administrations. This week, the Biden administration imposed tough new rules to keep it that way.
Because the incentives were there for people to take the risk. If there’s no or lesser incentive to make the dangerous trip to the point you’re likely to return with nothing to show for it (because they probably have some sense of whether they qualify or not), its a different calculation.
The rules and process were far too loose so it consequently resulted in greater migration. The party is over for that and will help to limit it to those who strictly qualify or can make a compelling case that justifies their claim and self-filters from the unqualified or inadmissable applicants who would otherwise be incentivized to make such a gamble