First, let's look at the entire context. Remember that Joe Biden caused the problem that Trump is now reacting to. It was Biden who ignored the rule of law to unsecure the border and open the flood gates. That said, these Biden immigrants were essentially invited in by an American president. Is it now fair to unconditionally deport them? Does Trump's "mass deportation" scheme not amount to America breaking its promise to these same immigrants? I agree that presidents should do their Constitutional duty to enforce the laws. But it was Biden who failed in this duty. I find it incredibly disingenuous for Progressives to now sing the siren song of the benefits and rights of American immigration while at the same evading the person responsible for the migrant problem we now have, which in part helped elect Trump—Joe Biden. Yes, immigration is on balance good—and entirely beside the point. If Biden had had a rational immigration policy, there wouldn't be any Trump immigration executive orders to get outraged over.
That said, I don't agree with Trump's mass deportation solution. Yes, Trump is enforcing the law, after Biden flouted it. But the entire context should consider fairness and justice. What Trump should do now is to establish a legal pathway for the non-criminal, non-national-security-risk Biden immigrants—which is most of them—to remain in our country, as a matter of moral imperative. They uprooted their lives to make the grueling and dangerous trip to America, after all, on the open invitation of an American president, Joe Biden. It is that consideration that should hold sway. We are, after all, dealing with human lives who merely want to live in freedom and make a living.
For what it’s worth, my stance on immigration has been for open immigration coupled with strong, secure borders to screen out people who represent health, criminal, or national security threats. My position has evolved to include the ability to support themselves through work as a condition of entry.
Related Reading:
Six big immigration changes under Trump - and their impact so far by Nadine Yousif
BBC News
Immigration and Individual Rights, by Craig Biddle
Immigrants on the Dole? That's a Myth, by Shikha Dalmia (Bloomberg)
Temp Workers’ 'Abuse' Stems from Immigration Policy
Armstrong on Myths and Facts about a Rights-Respecting Immigration Policy
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