Regularization vs. deportation: immigration widens the gap between Republicans and Democrats

Immigration policy once again highlights the divide between Republicans and Democrats. Republicans consider it more important to secure the borders and deport illegal immigrants. For their part, Democratic voters give urgency to granting legality to those who entered the country illegally, especially children, or welcoming refugees fleeing wars.

According to a Pew Research Center poll, 72% of Republicans say that securing the southern border is the most important goal to be accomplished by the federal administration to reduce illegal immigration. Only two in ten Democratic Party supporters (22%) consider border protection the most important immigration policy measure.

On deportations of illegal immigrants, there is a clear difference between Republicans and Democrats. Thirty percent of the population believes that the top priority is to expel those who entered the country illegally and 24% are in favor of an immigration policy that facilitates the regularization of illegal immigrants. Republicans pointed to deportation of illegals as the most important solution (49% vs. 12% of Democrats), while in the regularization of illegal immigrants a majority of Democrats say it is the most important measure (38% to 10% of Republicans).

Another fact reflected in the survey is the treatment of people fleeing war and violence. Forty-one percent of Democratic voters think taking in refugees is the highest priority. For their part, 13% of Republicans would bet on this measure as the most urgent.

In addition, 25% of the total (Republicans and Democrats) place the utmost importance on U.S. citizens and legal residents bringing their families.

Migration crisis

Many people coming to the United States are fleeing the communist regimes in Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba. Between October 2021 and August of this year, 2,493,723 illegal immigrants were apprehended as reported by Customs and Border Protection (CBP). 2,150,244 of them were arrested at the southern border. In addition, during the Biden Administration, some five million people entered the United States illegally.

Many point to the Biden Administration's inaction as a direct cause of rampant and uncontrolled illegal immigration. Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz blamed "no consequences" policies as the main reason for illegal immigration. Due to the lack of control in illegal immigration, several governors such as those of Texas, Arizona and Florida began sending illegal immigrants to sanctuary cities or other areas of the country.