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As the Biden administration takes the reins of power and begins to set its agenda for the next four years, one area in which it can distinguish itself from its predecessor is in its approach to immigration. While President Trump saw immigration mainly as a threat to be combated, Joe Biden has vowed to pursue a more humane, comprehensive, and ultimately more effective policy.
However, it is not enough for the Biden team to simply undo all of Trump’s policies and return to the pre-Trump status quo. To truly make progress, they must seek to out-Trump Trump on immigration. This doesn’t mean embracing his cruelty or xenophobia, but rather adopting his strategic approach to the issue.
First and foremost, this means recognizing that for many Americans, immigration is not just a matter of abstract policy, but a deeply felt emotional issue that touches on questions of national identity, cultural assimilation, and economic security. To win over these voters, the Biden administration must demonstrate that it takes those concerns seriously and has a plan to address them.
One key step in this direction would be to acknowledge that the U.S. has a right to control its borders and regulate who enters the country. While the Trump administration often went too far in its rhetoric and actions on this front, it tapped into a genuine sense among many Americans that the country’s borders had become too porous and that the federal government was not doing enough to enforce immigration laws.
Rather than dismissing these concerns as baseless or racist, as some on the left are wont to do, the Biden administration should embrace them and use them as the basis for a more rational and humane immigration policy. This could involve measures such as increasing border security, cracking down on visa fraud and overstays, and prioritizing the entry of those with skills or family ties to the U.S. over those who simply wish to migrate for economic reasons.
Of course, any immigration policy must also take into account the many human beings who are currently living in the U.S. without legal status, as well as the millions more who seek to come here in the future. Here, the Biden administration must also adopt a strategic, pragmatic, and ultimately compassionate approach.
Rather than simply promising blanket amnesty or lax enforcement, which would only encourage more illegal immigration, the administration should focus on creating a pathway to citizenship for those who are already here, while also working to create better conditions in the countries from which they came. This could involve increasing economic aid, strengthening democratic institutions, and reforming U.S. trade policies to reduce poverty and inequality in those countries.
At the same time, the Biden administration must also acknowledge that there are limits to the U.S.’s ability to absorb new immigrants and refugees, especially in a time of economic uncertainty and political polarization. Rather than trying to admit everyone who seeks to come here, the administration should prioritize those who are most vulnerable, such as refugees from war-torn countries or persecuted religious minorities.
This is not to say that the U.S. should shut its doors to other would-be immigrants entirely, but rather that it should be more selective and strategic in who it admits, taking into account factors such as economic need, cultural compatibility, and national security concerns.
In embracing this more strategic, nuanced, and ultimately pragmatic approach to immigration, the Biden administration can succeed where the Trump administration failed. It can demonstrate that it takes the concerns of American citizens seriously while also aligning itself with the values of compassion, fairness, and opportunity that have long been a hallmark of the American identity.
Of course, achieving these goals will not be easy, and will require the administration to navigate a complex web of legal, political, and economic challenges. But if it is able to do so, then it will have succeeded in out-Trumping Trump on immigration, by adopting a smarter, more effective, and ultimately more humane approach that benefits both Americans and immigrants alike.
