US Elections 2024: As the November 5 presidential elections approach, candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are in the final push to secure funds, campaign, and gather crucial votes across the diverse landscape of US politics. Among the many issues at stake, immigration stands out as a significant point of contention.
Vice President Kamala Harris in 2021 addressed the ‘root causes’ of migration and advocated more progressive immigration policies.
Kamala Harris supports an earned pathway to citizenship and wants to revive the tough border compromise law that would close loopholes in the asylum process and give the president more authority to shut down the border.
“We can create an earned pathway to citizenship and secure our border,” Harris said at the DNC in August. “ I will bring back the bipartisan border security bill that he (Donald Trump) killed, and I will sign it into law.”
She has repeatedly called the current immigration system “broken” and called for “reform”. In 2019 Harris had called Trump’s family separation policy a “human rights abuse.”
In response to Republican critiques, Kamala Harris highlights her record as California's Attorney General, where she prosecuted drug smugglers and criminal gangs involved in drug trafficking.
Donald Trump has said he would conduct mass deportations and put an end to birthright citizenship, reiterating the xenophobia that persisted among the majority of Americans when Trump became President, sailing over the ‘Make America Great Again or MAGA’ agenda.
Trump's stance on illegal immigration is uncompromising.
Trump has pledged to launch a major crackdown on illegal immigration if re-elected. His campaign website outlines plans to deploy law enforcement agencies to detain and deport illegal immigrants.
“Under my leadership, we will use all necessary state, local, federal and military resources to carry out the largest domestic deportation operation in American history," Trump said.
In his 2024 campaign, Trump has promised mass deportations in his second term and has indicated that he could deploy the military as part of the effort.
Trump would again try to end DACA if he is reelected, according to the New York Times. Donald Trump plans to suspend the refugee program and bar entry from Muslim-majority countries if re-elected, the report adds.
He also aims to restore the “Remain in Mexico” policy, requiring asylum seekers to wait in Mexico during their proceedings, and divert asylum seekers to third countries.
Donald Trump would reinstate the Title 42 border policy, which denies entry to migrants based on infectious diseases. During his previous term, Donald Trump drastically reduced annual refugee admissions and expelled asylum seekers without hearings.
- Kamala Harris: Advocates progressive immigration reforms, opposes family separations, and highlights her prosecutorial record against drug-related crimes.
- Donald Trump: Promises a hardline approach, including mass deportations, travel bans, and revoking citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants.
As the election nears, how each candidate addresses immigration could significantly impact their voter base and the future of US immigration policy.
