During a recent speech in Douglas, Arizona, Vice President Kamala Harris took aim at former President Donald Trump’s immigration policies, claiming he did nothing to address the nation’s “broken immigration system.” However, a closer examination of Trump’s record reveals a more nuanced picture.
Harris argued that Trump failed to address the shortage of immigration judges and border agents, and did not create lawful pathways for immigrants to enter the country. She also accused him of not working with other governments to address the regional challenges posed by immigration.
However, despite these criticisms, the Trump administration took several steps to address immigration issues during his presidency. For instance, the administration cut off foreign aid to Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala due to their failure to stem the flow of migrant caravans to the US.
Additionally, the Trump administration ended the temporary protected status for approximately 200,000 El Salvadoran migrants and constructed over 400 miles of border wall along the US-Mexico border. In 2019, the administration also ended the practice of “catch-and-release” for migrant families, which had allowed migrants to enter the country and claim asylum.
While it is true that Trump vowed to hire 15,000 new border agents and immigration officers, his administration ultimately struggled to fill these positions, leaving thousands of vacancies. However, this issue predates Trump’s presidency, with the number of border patrol agents decreasing significantly since 2011.
It’s worth noting that the US Customs and Border Protection agency has been ranked as one of the worst places to work in the federal government, which may have contributed to the challenges in hiring and retaining personnel.
