As Biden’s first term as president comes to a close, a group of more than 80 Democrat lawmakers have sent a letter to the president demanding urgent action to help undocumented immigrants.
Seeing this as a critical moment, immigration advocates worry about the possibility of a Trump reelection, which could see massive deportations and crackdowns on asylum seekers.
Democrat Letter
The letter from Democrats to the president contains a desperate plea for action as well as recommendations for Biden on how to use his executive power ahead of the November elections.
“Dear Mr. President: We urge your Administration to take all available actions to streamline pathways to lawful status for undocumented immigrants, providing certainty to the American businesses, communities, and families who rely on them,” the letter said.
Undocumented Contributions
Democrats made the case that undocumented immigrants have made significant contributions to America and are deserving of protection.
“In 2019 alone, undocumented immigrants contributed an estimated $9.7 billion in federal and state taxes and over $11 billion in social security contributions,” said the letter.
Trump’s Threat
Democrats worry about escalating language and promises from Trump that they feel would destroy the American economy and hurt families.
“Deporting all such individuals—as former President Donald Trump has threatened to do if reelected —would devastate the American economy and destroy American families,” Democrats said in the letter.
Rhetoric from Trump
Donald Trump reaffirmed a promise to use military force to deport migrants recently in a sitdown interview with Time Magazine.
In March, Trump spoke at a rally calling some migrants who are accused of criminality as being “not people” and warned of an economic “bloodbath” in the automobile industry if he is not reelected in November.
Streamline the Process
Democrats in their letter to Biden extolled the virtues of fast-tracking legal status for undocumented immigrants.
“Streamlining pathways for undocumented immigrants with no criminal history and deep ties to the United States to obtain parole or a lawful immigration status would provide stability to their families, require them to pay taxes, and to check in with the U.S. government regularly,” the letter said.
Recommendations for Streamlining
The letter outlined several actions that Biden can take which include things like allowing spouses of Americans to work while green cards are pending, empowering spouses to sponsor undocumented immigrants for lawful status, and canceling rules that separate families.
“We appreciate your careful consideration of these recommendations and all available options to provide much needed relief for undocumented immigrants and the American businesses, families, and communities that rely upon them,” said the letter.
Seize the Moment
In a separate statement to Biden, Democrat Representative Nanette Barragan demanded that he “seize this critical moment by exercising his Executive Authority to rebuild our broken immigration system.”
So far, Biden has been hesitant to attempt to utilize his full authority as President on the border issue, fearing disrupting a delicate balance between some supporters who want a strong border and others who want a more compassionate for undocumented immigrants.
Border Crisis
Consistent polling, including a recent survey by Axios in late April, found that Americans are increasingly warming to the idea of mass deportations for undocumented immigrants.
Two-thirds of Americans consider the recent influx of migrants into the country as a “real crisis” and not just political theater.
Democrats Too
The recent Axios survey found that even 42% of Democrats say they would support mass deportations of undocumented migrants if it were on the table.
30% of Democrat respondents to the survey said they would support ending birthright citizenship, a protection granted under the 14th Amendment of the Constitution.
Delicate Balance
Biden is keenly aware of the split of opinion and competing interests around the issue. This has made him hesitant to act in the face of an election, instead choosing to convince concerned voters that the current problem is Trump and Republicans’ fault.
Democrats blame Trump and Republicans for killing a bill in the Senate in February that would have provided more resources to secure the border.
Follow Up Letter
This recent letter comes weeks after a similar letter sent by Senate Democrats in March, who were also wary of a potential Trump Presidency. Democrats are also coming out with their own statements to pressure Biden to act now.
”As the Biden administration considers executive actions on immigration, we must not return to failed Trump-era policies aimed at banning asylum and moving us backwards,” said Immigration Subcommittee Chair Alex Padilla in a statement to NBC.
