Political posturing will not solve border problems

Leaders from faith, business and border security, among others, recently proposed a framework for border and asylum matters that addresses current challenges in a pragmatic and unified manner.

Jason Lief
| Guest columnist

Jason Lief is co-pastor of María Magdalena Reformed Church in Sioux Center, Iowa.
He also works for the National Immigration Forum as a Bibles, Badges, and Business Immigration Mobilizer.

Last month, I was among immigration lawyers who met with the staffs of our two senators in Washington, DC, to reiterate the urgent need for immigration solutions. And once again, the response from both offices was to dismiss calls for more security at the southern border and to place the blame squarely on the Biden administration.

This is the typical cycle for immigration solutions, including at the southern border, and will continue as long as elected officials prioritize political posturing over problem solving. Instead, Democrats and Republicans must work together and hold each other accountable to advance immigration reform and address the border crisis.

They even have a blueprint to work with. More on that below.

There is no doubt that concerns about the southern border are valid, as Republicans and Democrats realize. The number of migrants entering the United States has increased significantly since the pandemic, straining our border and asylum resources. But it is time for both parties to prioritize solutions over politics.

So far, efforts to find bipartisan solutions have been unsuccessful, as many leaders appear to prefer to accommodate partisan divisions. For example, Senator James Lankford, a Republican from Oklahoma, and others last spring proposed a border security policy that met Republican demands, including increased funding for border security and a tougher asylum policy. Yet Republican opposition stalled the bill, casting doubt on how serious Republicans are about securing the southern border.

Iowa’s Senate File 2340, currently before the courts, is a similar example of partisanship trumping lasting solutions. The bill would give local law enforcement the power to charge undocumented immigrants with an aggravated crime simply because they were found in Iowa — much to the dismay of many such officials. Instead of finding ways to work together, leaders consistently use immigration policy as a bargaining chip to stoke political flames.

Immigration enforcement is not the responsibility of the local chiefs and sheriffs who protect us all. It is a federal responsibility — and it is the job of Congress to create better immigration policies that represent the interests of the American people.

More: You and I are responsible for the immigrant and the refugee

That’s where the blueprint comes in. Faith, business, and border leaders, among others, recently proposed a border and asylum framework that would address current challenges in a pragmatic, unifying way. It would modernize asylum, strengthen border resources and personnel, prioritize stopping illicit fentanyl and other substances, and improve responses to human smuggling and trafficking.

Republicans and Democrats share the responsibility to solve our country’s border security and immigration challenges. While drawing hard party lines and refusing to negotiate can be opportunistic politics, solutions based on this framework can truly transform the landscape at the border and address important challenges.

We must expect our elected officials to work in good faith on our behalf to make material improvements in our immediate communities, our states, and our nation. Until they are able to set aside politics, find middle ground, and resolve border and immigration issues, they will continue to lose the trust of voters.

The unique challenges along the southern border require a balanced approach. Pragmatic, unifying solutions are available. And Iowans want them.

Jason Lief is the co-pastor of María Magdalena Reformed Church in Sioux Center, Iowa. He also serves the National Immigration Forum as a Bibles, Badges, and Business Immigration Mobilizer. Contact: [email protected].