In January 2023, President Biden implemented new immigration policies and border control measures in response to the persistent issues regarding immigration in the United States, such as unlawful border crossings and intensive backlog on the system. 

The policies expand legal pathways in countries such as Nicaragua, Haiti, Venezuela and Cuba, permitting up to 30,000 migrants from these countries who have familial ties to the US to enter legally. 

The new border strategy entails granting humanitarian parole for migrants as well. Humanitarian parole permits people to enter the United States in cases of emergency, such as seeking medical treatment, visiting sick family members, or attending the funeral of a deceased family member. Humanitarian parole programs protect people from harm and address national security and health concerns, though it is not a permanent situation. 

Issues such as deportation without review of an asylum application, however, still persist. This is due to the shortage of asylum officers and judges to evaluate who qualifies for asylum and whether those applying meet legal requirements.

“I have many friends who crossed the US-Mexico border seeking asylum from a Central American country, in many cases leaving violence or gangs,” sophomore Ella Van Der Walde said. “I think about what would’ve happened if they weren’t allowed to seek asylum at all, and how different their lives would be.” 

Under the new plan, the use of expedited removal will be increased, in which migrants entering the US “without permission” will be banned from reentering for five years. A central goal of these policies is to expand upon current policy and ensure they are “safe, orderly, and humane,” according to the White House briefing.

These policies have been met with fierce debate and criticism after their reformation. Many have raised questions on whether the policy is ethical and whether it would be viable in the long run.

“The policy does work on the level that if you prohibit people from coming to the border, they simply can’t get in the country,” Van Der Walde said. “As Biden himself said, this is a temporary solution. When you know someone in real life who could’ve been affected negatively or even indirectly killed by [these policies] it’s hard to agree and say they do work.” 

Some advocate that the president’s situation is complicated, and any action taken to combat the issues is a step in the right direction. “Biden is in a really tough place right now,” freshman Alessandro Lisa said. “Either way, a lot of people are going to be unhappy…but you can’t just let everyone in and that’s understandable.”

In addition to creating new policies, the Biden administration expressed discontent for Title 42, former president Donald Trump’s immigration policy enforced during COVID-19 that prohibits migrants from entering the United States if the CDC believes they might introduce communicable diseases in the country.

According to CBS news, between March 2020 and January 2021, 83% of migrant apprehensions resulted in expulsions. Despite the president’s views, however, when the Supreme Court required officials to maintain Title 42 in November, Biden expanded certain aspects of the policy. 

While some support the enforcement of Title 42 because it prevents an overwhelming number of migrants from entering the country, a majority of public health experts and immigrants rights advocates claim the policy is not justifiable and that it denies migrants’ entry by warping the concept of public health to an extreme degree. 

“I think Title-42 is a lame excuse to keep people out. It is inhumane. I think borders in general hinder our ability to think globally and improve our planet,” French teacher Mrs. Falloux said. “I also understand the situation is extremely complex.” 

After Biden’s visit to Mexico and the joint establishment of patrols to combat human smuggling operations, the White House is preparing for the end of Title 42 restrictions. The administration does not have a concrete plan addressing the influx of people seeking asylum.

The president’s actions are viewed by some as lacking and insufficient to deal with such a broken system. “If I were Biden, I would let in more immigrants,” Lisa said. “I get that he wants to get reelected. I get that Republicans will get mad and that overpopulation in the US is a thing, but these people are in need, and it’s not really great to turn them away.” 

Either way, the impact of our immigration system is unquestionable and cannot be left broken without an appropriate system that benefits all involved parties.

“We should all recognize that as long as America is the land of freedom and opportunity, people are going to try to come here,” President Biden told NPR reporters. “We can’t stop people from making the journey but we can require them to come here and they—that they come here in an orderly way under U.S. law.”