On The Issues: Immigration and 2024

What the GOP hopefuls are proposing, and more

View this email online This is a special series, Election Day 2024, to keep you updated on everything you need to know ahead of the 2024 presidential election. We'll check in each week over the next year to make sense of everything.  Dec. 14, 2023 Ahead of the Iowa caucuses, we're diving into some of the biggest issues at play in the 2024 election. Today, we take a look at immigration. On The Issues: Immigration and 2024 John Moore/Getty Images The historic numbers of immigrants arriving at the southern border and seeking shelter in cities like New York and Chicago have been making headlines for more than a year. And it’s a frequent topic of discussion on the GOP debate stage. Republican presidential candidates say President Biden's immigration policies have been disastrous, and have made a harder stance on the border a centerpiece of their campaigns. They have decried a “crisis” at the U.S.-Mexico border, say undocumented immigrants are “ravaging” American communities, and claim, without evidence, that migrants are to blame for record fentanyl overdoses. It’s true that this year, an unprecedented number of migrants arrived at the U.S.-Mexico border: more than 2.5 million. But that number only tells half the story.  Overall, the number of people crossing the border without permission outside legal ports of entry has decreased since September. The number of migrants arriving at legal points of entry has more than doubled. More immigrants than ever before are being placed in deportation proceedings when they go through ports of entry. But the immigration courts handling those proceedings are dealing with a massive backlog. The Biden administration's immigration policy has been described as a "carrot and stick" approach: punish migrants who enter the U.S. without documents, and encourage folks to apply to enter legally.  Immigration was a central tenet of former President Donald Trump’s rise in 2016 (Mexico was going to pay for the wall, remember?). Now the Republican frontrunner, Trump has promised not only to reinstate some of the controversial policies enacted during his presidency, but to expand them. The other candidates’ proposals essentially mirror his: As one Los Angeles Times columnist recently described it, immigration promises are a "contest to out-Trump Trump." If 2024 becomes a Biden-Trump rematch, immigration as an issue favors Trump, according to polling. Not only do voters in swing states say they trust Trump more on immigration, but Biden also gets poor marks for his handling of it.  — NPR immigration reporter Jasmine Garsd Newsletter continues after sponsor message Where The GOP Candidates Stand: Alyson Hurt/NPR Republican presidential hopefuls are promising everything from expanded detention, to deploying the military to the border, to – again – building the wall.  NPR’s Jasmine Garsd breaks down the specifics of their proposals.  Read More Help Keep the Conversations Going.   Support the NPR Network and stand for trustworthy journalism that keeps you informed, enlightened, and connected. Your donation fuels in-depth reporting, unbiased insights, and thought-provoking stories that matter.  Join us in sustaining an essential source of knowledge and perspective for a brighter future. Act now with your support today.  Donate By The Numbers Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images 47% of Americans say illegal immigration is “a very big problem,” according to a June survey from the Pew Research Center. But 68% of Americans say on the whole, immigration is a good thing for the country, according to a survey the same month from Gallup. — Lexie Schapitl, NPR Politics producer Voter Voices Spencer Platt/Getty Images Immigration is top of mind for many voters in the border state of Arizona. NPR's Asma Khalid talked to some of them this fall and found big divides by race and age on the issue: “We're affected very much here in Arizona with the illegal population. They're just, you know, pouring across the border, and they're inundating the small cities. There's just not enough services to help these people.” – Frank Rizzo, 77 “Anybody and everybody is coming in now. And President Trump said it best: He said, the best people don't leave their countries. When they're doing well in their countries, they don't leave. But criminals do.” – June Johnson, 86 “Our border is over-militarized, and it's a fabricated problem. It's a false system of barriers in that it's creating a backlog of folks, and it's fabricating the humanitarian situation.” – Xenia Orona, 31 “[Republican proposals are] all painting these folks as if they are all somehow involved with nefarious cartels or something, instead of – they're humans who are fleeing violence from their home country and trying to seek shelter in the country that has always called itself the land of the free, the home of the brave.” – Dominique Medina, 42 — Lexie Schapitl, NPR Politics producer Essential Reading: Migrants are showing up at the U.S. southern border in historic numbers. Here's why Who is sneaking fentanyl across the southern border? Hint: It's not the migrants. How one Afghan family made the perilous journey across the U.S.-Mexico border The immigrant population in the U.S. is climbing again, setting a record last year There's a labor shortage in the U.S. Why is it so hard for migrants to legally work? Federal judge prohibits separating migrant families at the border Poll: Where Republican candidates align with most Americans — and where they don't Immigrants are coming to North Dakota for jobs. Not everyone is glad to see them. How Latinos in Iowa are responding to anti-immigrant rhetoric from GOP candidates Listen to your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to hear live radio from St. Louis Public Radio (edit station). What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: nprpolitics@npr.org Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Daily News, Code Switch, Health and more! 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