The Democrats’ contradictory agenda of immigration was busted in the latest episode of the Haiti immigration crisis, as the event has triggered another division in the Democratic ranks.
As the events unfolded, the current, as well as prior Democratic lawmakers, have teamed up to criticize Biden’s policies.
While Julian Castro blamed President Joe Biden for treating immigrants like animals, Tulsi Gabbard, a former congressman and a presidential candidate for the 2020 elections belonging to the Democratic caucus, even demanded an apology from the president for blaming border officials for the entire episode.
Even the members of the current Democratic caucus labeled the Biden administration inefficient, thereby making the matter worse at the Southern border.
Biden’s Confused Policies are Causing Hue and Cry Among Democrats
This internal division can dent the Democrats’ popularity before the 2022 midterm elections, where ideological voters can change their minds due to the hypocrisy prevailing with the administration.
Prominent Democrats are even comparing Biden with his predecessor Donald Trump, as the policies of both of them seem no different on paper.
Thus the call for a change in policy measures is increasing, which could pave the way for immigrants to apply for asylum in the United States.
Unexpectedly, the Biden administration has defended Title 42, a Trump-era policy that takes a hard stance on immigrants, as it allows for deporting immigrants and denying them an opportunity to seek asylum.
This Democratic defense of the Title 42 is primarily the reason why Democrats are finding Biden’s vision not different than the previous administration.
When Democrats won the White House, the scope of Title 42 looked bleak. However, Democratic leadership seems to change their policy measures despite a hue and cry from their own ranks.
As per the statistics, the border officials found nearly 1.24 million instances of border crossing from February to August, and they used Title 42 in almost 56% of the cases.
Title 42 is a tool that empowers the government to stop goods and people from entering the country to curb the transmission of the pandemic.
However, many believe that it is used as a political tool to expand the political agenda of the ruling party. The former President Donald Trump invoked the law in the early days of the pandemic, which drew criticism from Democrats. However, Democrats are now walking the same path themselves.
Even the likes of Chuck Schumer have criticized President Biden for using Title 42 and called for its immediate halt.
The criticism of Biden also became a norm in the progressive caucus of the Democratic party, from where AOC called the recent Haiti episode a ”stain on our country.”
The same is the case with the House Black caucus as well, where nine members of the caucus censured the Biden administration’s response in dealing with the crisis.
Demands to WrapUp Title 42 Are not to Eliminate Borders Completely, but to Strengthen the Asslyum Seeking Process
When Democratic lawmakers support immigration regimes, they do not tend to promote free and open borders for just anyone coming into the United States.
Instead, they seek a proper process through which immigrants can apply for asylum in the US in an affordable manner.
This is where Title 42 is causing a mess, as it is intended to not even allow the immigrants to apply for asylum, let alone getting it.
The Democrats’ internal rift is increasing before the next elections and is expected to rise even further if the Biden administration does not revise its existing border policy.
This could be detrimental for Democrats who are narrowly controlling both the House and the Senate, where a slight miscalculation can cost them their majority in both the houses.
This internal division came at a time when progressives and moderates were already at crossheads over various legislations.
Final Thoughts
This Haiti immigration episode is a fair warning for President Biden, who is already facing a credibility hit after his mismanaged withdrawal from Afghanistan, as his approval rating slid badly.
He is also facing a parallel challenge of losing long-lasting US allies overseas as the tensions between France and the US have not been diluted amid the US controversial signing of the AUKUS alliance.
Eli is a Political Data Scientist with over thirty years of experience in Data Engineering, Analytics, and Digital Marketing. Eli uses his expertise to give the latest information and distinctive analysis on US Political News, US Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, and Racial Justice equipping readers with the inequivalent knowledge.