Solutions for the Border and America’s Immigration System May 20, 2024 AILA presents this set of solutions to Congress and the President to address the border and modernize America’s immigration system. With the dramatic shifts in worldwide migration, 1 sustained action is needed at the U.S. southern border to ensure the fair, fast, and orderly processing of arriving migrants. In its first term, the Biden Administration has implemented stringent border enforcement measures and expanded legal pathways for migrants that effectively alleviate pressure at the border. 2 While many of Biden’s policies have been effective, some policies have restricted access and, as a result, are compromising protection for asylum seekers. Managing the border is no easy task and urgently requires additional resources, coordination, and political commitment from both parties—but a system that is both fair and orderly can be achieved. First, Congress must set aside partisanship and fund federal agencies adequately and in a timely manner. 3 The federal government needs to be equipped to stop drug cartels, process migrants quickly and fairly, guarantee protection for those eligible for legal relief, and remove those who are ultimately deemed ineligible in a safe and humane manner.
Effective migration management requires solutions that address the entire immigration system, not just the border.
Effective migration management requires solutions that address the entire immigration system, not just the border. The Administration should continue developing legal pathways and coordinating with country governments to give people other options besides journeying to the U.S. southern border. Bureaucratic delays slow down border processing and the regular handling of employment and family immigration cases, 4 and agencies must improve systems and coordination to cut through red tape. Solutions for border management should be paired with protection for people who have been living in and contributing to the country for years but have no way to apply for legal status. They are integral to American communities and help the country thrive. Congress should create a path to citizenship for them, which will also make the immigration system more orderly. In the meantime, the President should not wait but must use his authority to grant them legal status and work permits.
AILA Doc. No. 24052004. (Posted 5/20/24)