What a President Trump Win Could Mean for the US-Mexico Border – Documented

Donald Trump and the Republican Party continue to view immigration as a key issue to win voters. But to understand how border policy would be affected, the 2024 GOP platform offers a 20-point agenda that presents closing the U.S.-Mexico border as a top priority.

“We don’t have to look far to see what Trump threatens our community,” said Murad Awawdeh, president and CEO of the New York Immigration Coalition.

He pointed to Trump’s history of targeting immigrants during his first term and noted his current threats of mass deportations, ending protections like TPS and closing the border. “Again, we don’t have to look far to think about whether this is something he can do, or whether he will do it. He did it before and against a court order, and people had to sue him in court to get him to reopen the border,” Awawdeh added.

Immigration News, Compiled

To register for our selection of immigration news, insights into key stories, job openings and events.

Please check your email for further instructions.

He said Trump is likely to continue blaming immigrants “for the failure of government and the failure to respond to the needs of people in this country.”

Reflecting Trump’s dominant influence over the party, the 2024 Republican Party platform gives us a glimpse into Trump’s 2024 campaign platform on border policy. It begins with promises to “close the border and stop the migrant invasion” and “carry out the largest deportation operation in American history.” The platform also blames illegal immigration for the rising cost of housing, education, and health care for American families.

Also read: How will Democrats respond to Republicans’ false message on immigration?

Trump’s 2024 campaign platform for border policy builds on and amplifies the measures he championed during his first term, when he called for “building the wall.” Since his 2017 presidency, he has focused his efforts on improving border security, curbing illegal immigration and prioritizing policies that put American citizens first. But now his campaign platform lists broad goals to discourage immigration, without a concrete plan for how to achieve them.

A cornerstone of Trump’s 2024 immigration policy is a continued focus on border security. Republicans have said they will restore “every border policy” of the Trump administration, including completing the border wall, shifting large swaths of federal law enforcement to immigration enforcement and using advanced technology to monitor and secure the border. They have also proposed “deploying the United States Navy to impose a full Fentanyl blockade on the waters of our region — boarding and inspecting vessels to search for fentanyl and fentanyl precursors.”

Additionally, Trump’s policy includes a pledge to ramp up enforcement against undocumented immigrants in the United States. The platform proposes to strengthen ICE, increase penalties for illegal entry and visa overstays, and reinstate the “Remain in Mexico” policy, which requires asylum seekers to wait in Mexico while their cases are heard in U.S. courts. Aggressive measures like the Alien Enemies Act, the travel ban, and the use of Title 42 to reduce illegal immigration are also expected to be reinstated.

Trump and the Republicans have also promised to deport illegal immigrants and remove those who have broken the law, claiming they will “initiate the largest deportation program in American history.” However, some see this as unlikely due to practicality and feasibility concerns.

Trump continues to link migrants to crime, promising to “end the migrant crime epidemic, destroy foreign drug cartels, crush gang violence, and lock up violent criminals.” However, data does not support the claim of an increase in migrant crime.