This was hard from a humanitarian standpoint. But with more than 6,000 arrests a day at the southern border, any relaxation of current restrictions could worsen the chaos at the cost of public support for immigration.
Americans very much oppose illegal immigration. A recent Harvard/Harris poll found that 80 percent of voters see illegal immigration as a serious issue. More ominously for Democrats, 68 percent of voters believe Biden’s executive orders on immigration encourage illegal immigration.
On the question of whether Biden is creating an open border or just trying to enforce the immigration laws more humanely, voters were split. But even 38 percent of Democrats saw an “open border” policy in his actions.
Legal immigration, on the other hand, is not a problem for most. A recent Gallup survey found that 3 in 4 U.S. adults agree that immigration is “a good thing” for the country — and there’s little difference in sentiment by racial or ethnic group.
Some 33 percent wanted the numbers increased, and 35 percent preferred the current level. Only 31 percent thought fewer immigrants should be admitted — a number that’s way down from October 2001, when 58 percent wanted immigration decreased.
Notably, there is broad strong support for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which lets immigrants who arrived illegally as children stay in the country. Large majorities support the so-called Dreamers’ case. (A federal judge in Texas recently ruled that DACA is unlawful but that people already protected by the program can stay in the country.)
The rush at the border has Democrats in swing districts and purple states especially worried, and for good reason.
Andrew Gillum’s unsuccessful run for Florida governor may underscore the dangers of not speaking carefully on this hot issue. A Black former mayor of Tallahassee, Gillum nearly beat out Republican Ron DeSantis in 2018. Though little-known at the time and facing ethics charges, Gillum lost by less than one point after having amassed more votes than any previous Democratic candidate.
ICE
Surely one reason for the loss was his call to “abolish ICE.” This followed reports that authorities were separating children from their parents at the border. What Gillum actually said was that he wanted to replace the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency with “a more compassionate and focused agency.”
DeSantis took Gillum’s remark out of context. But no candidate who wants to win over a politically diverse electorate should ever put the word “abolish” in front of “ICE.”
Is America suffering a labor shortage that warrants admitting more immigrants? Yes. But let’s first recognize that the current scarcity of workers has prompted employers to raise wages. Progressives embrace better pay and benefits, don’t they?
Americans could back a careful ramping up of the numbers as long as that’s done in an orderly manner. A humane and generous immigration program could enjoy high public support, but only if the laws are taken seriously.
