On December 18th, Governor Greg Abbott signed what scholars are calling the most anti-immigrant law in recent history, known as SB4 [1]. The law is just the latest development in the tension-filled debate over immigration. As the divide between Republicans and Democrats widens over the key issue, Texas Republicans will likely continue making bold moves against the Biden administration. As the daunting election year comes up, lack of reform threatens to harm Biden’s platform, a true deciding factor in the country’s future. .
Surge in Immigration
Each year, millions of immigrants cross the US-Mexico border, most seeking asylum after leaving Latin American countries. Since Biden took office, the number of people apprehended at the border has skyrocketed to fourfold since the 2010s, with 2 million people being apprehended in 2023 [2]. This number is a signifier that illegal immigration has dramatically spiked, especially at the Southern border [3]. There are various reasons for the growth – among a few, Venezuela’s ever-failing economy under President Maduro, the lasting effects of the Haitian earthquake, the repression of Nicaraguan citizens, and the dysfunctional government of Cuba [4]. Each country has sent millions of immigrants to the border. Others point to Biden’s welcoming attitude towards migrants as a pull factor, contributing to the extreme growth during his term. Once in the country, while many immigrants have valid reasons for seeking asylum, others claim it regardless, knowing that the backlog in the court system means it will be years before their cases are tried. This system allows them to make homes in the U.S.. Unfortunately, border states like Texas and Arizona are highly ill equipped to handle the surge. [2].
Party Divides
Essentially, the question is whether the US should accept the increasing number of immigrants or restrict immigration. The Biden administration, and traditionally democrats, believe that the US has a humanitarian responsibility to allow migrants into the country, whoa re most often escaping violence, repression, and poverty. Meanwhile, as a whole, Republicans believe that the borders need tighter restriction, as immigration has become a national crisis. Republican leaders advocate for making it harder to claim asylum and easier to deport those who do not meet its requirements [2]. They have been advocating aggressively for their case in recent years, one more so than others – Governor Greg Abbott of Texas.
Abbott’s response
Governor Abbott is one of the most outspoken advocates for restricting immigration. Texas receives millions of immigrants a year, and he claims that the federal government is not doing enough, funding and policy wise, to help control this inflow [3]. As a result, he has used several tactics to both increase Texas’s control over immigration and convince voters that Biden is mishandling the issue. In his own state, Abbott has used razor wire and floating barriers to deter those crossing the border. On a larger scale, his practice of deflecting immigrants to democratic cities has been praised by his party as “genius” and condemned by Democrats as “cruel”. Abbott has sent more than 13,000 immigrants in the past year to New York alone, and hundreds of thousands more to other cities like Chicago, DC, and Denver, aim to be sanctuaries for immigrants [4]. Constituents commend him for “waking people up” and exposing their struggles to other states. Yet, others criticize him for using people as a messaging tactic. [3] Democratic leaders point to Abbott’s lack of communication with cities before sending busloads of immigrants, [4] proof that he aims to cause chaos, rather than genuinely ask for help handling migrants. The tragic death of a child en route from Texas to Illinois further sparked more debate about the humanitarian ramifications of the practice [3].
Shift in Opinions
Surprisingly, Governor Abbott’s tactics have proved effective in shifting the opinions of both the public and the democratic party itself. 60,000 immigrants are currently living in New York City’s shelters, and the influx has cost the city upwards of a billion dollars [4]. Eric Adams, mayor of the city, stated that he is “astounded” at the lack of federal response, and other blue states echo this assertion [4]. Consequently, Democratic leaders are calling for more federal funding and agents this winter, as citie shelters reach capacity. Furthermore, voters overall are resonating more with the Republican call to cap annual immigration [2]. In fact, recent NBC polls report that 50% of voters say that the Republican party is better at handling immigration, compared to 20% for democrats [3].
Developments: SB4
Most recent in his line of bold actions against the federal government, Abbott signed SB4, a bill that allows Texas state police to arrest and deport illegal immigrants [5]. After being apprehended, migrants are issued a misdemeanor charge and tried in court. If found guilty, they can choose to leave or possibly face worse felony charges [5]. The bill gives extraordinary power to the state government over immigration, an area that is constitutionally controlled exclusively by Congress. The only recent precedent for this bill is Arizona’s SB 1070, also called the “Show me your papers” act. The act allowed state police to stop drivers and ask for papers, as well as arrest individuals without warrant if they believed they should be deported. This second provision and others were struck down in a 2012 Supreme Court case [5]. SB4 will most likely be tried in court due to its transfer of federal power to states, and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) says they will soon file a lawsuit against the act [1]. Texas Republicans know of these challenges. By passing this law, it’s possible that Abbott hopes for the Conservative majority court to revisit the decision reached on SB 1070. If this happens, it could mean a significant change in how immigration in our country is handled.
There is only one way to address immigration as outlined in the constitution: a bipartisan, comprehensive bill that would clear up the backlog at the borders and utilize funding more efficiently. Yet, it is doubtful that this type of compromise is even possible in the current partisan climate.. For now, the country waits to see how the debate over immigration will evolve leading up to the elections.
[1] https://www.cbsnews.com/news/texas-immigration-law-sb4-signed-greg-abbott/
[2] https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/18/briefing/immigration-debate.html
[4] https://www.cfr.org/article/why-new-york-experiencing-migrant-crisis
Mrs. Beadle • Jul 3, 2024 at 7:57 am
Thank you, Nanditha.