In this series of articles, Nikhil Bandlish will examine how the result of the U.S. election will impact Latin America. In this third piece, Nikhil examines how President-Elect Joe Biden’s win could alter The United States’ approach to migration in profound ways.
Long before Donald Trump ever pledged to ‘build a wall’, migration had become one of the key dividing lines in American politics.
The contentious policy area in the US boils down to a few key factors. Firstly the apparent rise of illegal immigration (and the subsequent domestic policies involved in processing those who crossed into the country illegally), then a rise in those claiming refugee status, and finally those who seek social asylum.
The prolific nature of illegal immigration has created a flashpoint in American society; year-on-year figures show a consistent increase in the number of the so-called ‘illegal aliens’ apprehended by U.S. authorities, and much has been done by the U.S. government in the past 4 years to curb these figures. From the creation of the U.S.-Mexico border wall to the controversial child-separation policy in 2018, the Trump administration continuously pledged to promote a ‘merit-based immigration system’ designed to overrule the Obama-era policy known as ‘Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals’ (DACA). That policy allowed children who were brought into the country illegally to avoid deportation, whilst simultaneously applying for work permits.
Although this series has argued that U.S. policy in Latin America has remained consistently monotonous, when it comes to immigration policy, Joe Biden and Donald Trump presented vastly different plans at the recent election, ideas that bring us back to the anxious heart of conventional U.S. party politics.
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Deterrent or Incentive?
While these two concepts are polar opposites, they seem to find themselves at home in modern political discourses. In the instance of immigration policy, there are no doubts as to which party advocates deterrent as an anti-immigration policy, and which party would opt to incentivise undocumented immigrants to come forward.
Donald Trump’s policy of deterrence has taken many forms, most notably his famed U.S-Mexico border wall. Although it never reached completion under his Presidency, owing to construction and funding issues, this wall has served as more than a physical barrier between the United States and Mexico. A cornerstone of Trump’s 2016 campaign rhetoric, it presents itself as a symbol of what Donald Trump’s supporters came to expect of him; a no-nonsense approach that prioritises the rule of law above all else. Yet despite this, there are reasons to believe that this deterrent has failed to have the desired impact.
According to the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), there has been a consistent year-on-year increase in the apprehension of illegal aliens by the United States. The number rose by over 100% from 2017 – 2019, with approximately 432,000 apprehended in 2017, compared to 945,000 in 2019. This increase of illegal immigrants predominantly came from Central American countries, with Nicaragua, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Mexico accounting for a majority of this influx in border crossings.
These figures suggest that while the Trump administration invested heavily in deterring illegal immigration from the South, the policies had little effect. On the other hand, a Biden administration plans to expand DACA, allowing over 11 million undocumented people to apply for work permits. While this would represent a shift in domestic policy, the international policy – which would analyse the core sources of conflict in the region that leads to mass migration in the first place – remains underdeveloped and unchanged.
Choke Point
Living and working conditions throughout Central America leave plenty to be desired. A combination of oppressive histories, inequality through wealth distribution and the prevalence of gangs and various other criminal organisations have ensured that opportunities to earn a fruitful living continue to be stagnant. Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Honduras have the lowest annual GDPs of the Latin American countries and it is therefore not a coincidence that they also contribute to the majority of migrants attempting to enter the United States.
The policy of the United States has been to create both a physical and symbolic choke point at the border; funnelling in as many refugees in order to be processed ‘securely and safely’. A generational policy, it is one that supersedes party affiliations, but also errs on the side of militancy.
The immigration debate reached a head when it emerged in 2018 that migrants were being housed in ‘cages’ built in a processing facility in Texas. These infamous ‘cages’ were not the typical run-of-the-mill metal boxes commonly used to house livestock, but instead were sections of a warehouse in Texas that were divided by chain-link fencing in order to house an increasing number of immigrants entering the country from Central and South America by various demographics. Initially built under the Obama administration in 2014, these ‘cages’ rose to prominence in 2018 when the Trump administration enacted a policy of separating children from their parents. A divisive policy, it served as a reflection and as a reminder that when it comes to geopolitics, the U.S. still considered themselves to be the arbitrary policemen of the region, and felt this position was justified due to their extensive influence.
Endgame
A Joe Biden Presidency may well mark a significant change in the United States’ approach to migration. The Democrat plans to legitimise millions of undocumented workers in an attempt to assimilate them and offer a path to citizenship. Alternatively, a Trump presidency would likely have seen a crackdown on illegal immigration but again, this rhetoric must be taken with a pinch of salt. Trump’s much-touted border wall will likely never be completed under his Presidency, and yet it is already significantly over-budget. Meanwhile, President-Elect Biden’s plans are likely to face intense opposition every step of the way.
In summary, it does seem as though some kind of migration reform is on the cards for the US, potentially offering Latin Americans the chance to become U.S. citizens. However, until the core sources of immigration are at the very least somewhat addressed, the U.S. will continue to see rapid increases in refugees and asylum seekers.
Nikhil Bandlish is a staff writer for The International.