Border Apprehensions
Critical Analysis
According to the data form the chart above, how many total apprehensions of undocumented immigrants took place at the Southwestern border in FY (fiscal year) 2022?
Describe the change in Mexican versus non-Mexican Southwestern border apprehensions since 1999.
The number of monthly encounters had fallen to 16,182 in April 2020, shortly after the coronavirus outbreak forced the closure of the southwestern border and slowed migration across much of the world. Describe the trend in border apprehensions since April 2020.
As seen in numbers by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the fiscal year of 2019 saw a first spike in undocumented migrants apprehended at the Southern U.S. border, caused by arrivals from Central America. The fact that these migrants often travel in family units while fleeing from violence then gave rise to the Trump-era policy of jailing undocumented immigrants while separating them from any children they might have been traveling with. Another Trump administration policy, dubbed Remain in Mexico, is in use until today - two years after Biden took office - after judges blocked its termination, negotiations with Mexico stretched and finally the dismantling of the program became another case for the courts. Explain how immigration illustrates the concept of checks and balances.
The main federal agency enforcing border policy is U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) which has a budget for fiscal year 2021 (FY21) of over $18 billion (see chart below). Describe one way that Congress can try to control CBP.
The current secretary of homeland security is Alejandro Mayorkas, the first Latino and immigrant to lead the Department of Homeland Security. CBP is part of the Department of Homeland Security. Troy Miller is the Acting Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). In this leadership position, he oversees 60,000 employees, Describe one way that President Biden can try to control CBP.
This week, President Joe Biden visited the Southern U.S. border at El Paso, Texas, after tensions over migration to the United States have been simmering for months. These, for example, included the busing of migrants north from the Southern U.S. - at times approved by Republican governors. Ahead of the visit, the Biden Administration had unveiled a new policy, denying migrants from Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela and Haiti the right to claim asylum at the Mexican border, instead opening up entry quotas for these nations. Based on your knowledge of American politics and the chart above, why do you think the Biden administration is pursuing a relatively restrictive policy on immigration?
President Biden’s move to limit immigration has been widely condemned by advocates and human rights organizations for restricting the universal right to claim asylum. Describe one way an interest group or a private individual can try to influence immigration policy?
If you were president, what would your immigration policy be?
Our country currently has a worker shortage. Imagine Joe Biden allowed for more legal immigration into the U.S. Make a claim about how a new policy allowing for more legal immigration would impact employment, illegal immigration, and American politics.
Learning Extension
Check out this Pew Report on border encounters.
Action Extension
Contact the White House and let POTUS Biden know what you think about his immigration policy.
Visual Extension*
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