Lack of federal immigration plan leaves room for states to step in

WASHINGTON (TND) — On the issue of immigration, the Biden Administration has made it clear from day one that its policies would be very different from those of former President Donald Trump.

Since taking office, President Joe Biden has halted construction of the border wall, ended the Remain in Mexico policy and fought to end the expulsion of migrants under the pandemic-era policy known as Title 42.

Still, at the same time, administration officials issued these warnings to would-be migrants.

In 2021, Vice President Kamala Harris urged them not to make the dangerous journey, saying, “Do not come. Do not come."

“The border is closed. The border is secure," Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in an interview with ABC News.

But it rapidly became clear that those warnings were not being heeded.

Even in the early days of the Biden presidency, confidential polling data obtained by The New York Times showed immigration as a growing vulnerability for the president with surveys showing voters do not feel he has a plan to address the situation at the border.

With the numbers now passing two million encounters at the Southern border this fiscal year with still a month to go, Republicans have been eager to point out the lack of a plan.

“Unfortunately this administration has been absent," Rep. Chuck Fleischmann said Wednesday.

On the White House website, a single paragraph under “priorities,” outlines the need for a "fair and orderly immigration system that welcomes immigrants, keeps families together and allows people across the country — both newly arrived immigrants and people who have lived here for generations — to more fully contribute to our country."

What the nation is beginning to see more and more is that in the absence of a clear federal immigration policy, states will continue to take matters into their own hands.

"Today, I have issued this executive order designating cartels as terrorists in Texas," Gov. Greg Abbott said Wednesday.

His state has been at the forefront of this trend, even raising money to pick up construction of the border wall, as he and Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., have used state funds to transport migrants to Democratic-led cities like New York and Chicago.

Meanwhile, many are asking Congress to do its job and enact a new law to help fix the issues.

“We have a broken immigration system that does need to be fixed in a comprehensive and bipartisan fashion but in order for that to occur we need responsible partners on the other side of the aisle," Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said at a news conference Tuesday.

It's an aisle that appears to be growing wider by the day.