Author: James Traub
Affiliation: New York University’s Center on International Cooperation
Organization/Publisher: Foreign Policy
Date/Place: April 26, 2021/USA
Type of Literature: Argument
Word Count: 1641
Link: https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/04/26/bidens-immigration-plan-exists-on-paper-not-in-reality/
Keywords: Migration, Immigration, USA, Biden
Brief:
Biden’s incoming domestic policy advisor Susan Rice and national security advisor Jake Sullivan conveyed during an interview a strategic investment of $4 billion in Central American countries from which migrants were fleeing, encompassing broader pathways for legal migration, and reforms to the process of granting asylum at the border. They further disclosed that this new policy could not be implemented for months due to the “collapse of the asylum-processing system” under Trump. Still, the huge amount of regulatory rulings passed during the Trump administration with the aim to make immigration much more difficult, has resulted in great problems for Biden. But the author has uncovered that the provided excuse is not true. After Biden’s election, there was a huge rush at the borders, something that the administration was not prepared for. The increase of migrants crossing the border had negatively affected Biden’s “legendary empathy”. Author James Traub states that he was not able to get a response from Biden officials regarding the migration policy, hinting that the Biden administration was getting “cold feet” and that Biden “would not let refugee policy jeopardize a once-in-a-generation opportunity to rebuild America’s economy on a more just and secure foundation”. Traub concludes by providing critique regarding Biden officials who do not talk about the migration policy and are leaving refugee advocates and analysts clueless whether they will choke or come back with their “big, bold approach”.
By: Dilek Yücel, CIGA Senior Research Associate
