On the US-Mexico border, the Biden administration has resumed construction of the ‘border wall’ that was being built by the US Donald Trump administration, the British weekly The Economist reported on the 4th.
The Economist published an article on the Internet on the same day titled “The Biden Administration is Quietly Closing Part of Donald Trump’s Wall,” adding, “The southern border [with Mexico] poses a political problem for Democrats.” It’s becoming because it’s actually a problem.”
According to The Economist, in the summer and fall 2020 presidential campaigns, Biden promised not to “build an extra foot of the wall (which Trump began to build)” when he became president, but some sections after taking office last year. wall construction work continues.
This is because the number of people trying to enter the United States through the US-Mexico border is at a record high, and Biden’s lack of highlighting his decision to reopen the wall is because he feared losing supporters’ votes for making it public.
In tight-knit areas sensitive to the influx of illegal and smugglers across the southern border, Democrat politicians have been actively promoting Biden’s measures to resume construction of the wall to voters.
Arizona Democrat Rep. Mark Kelly, who is running for re-election, is telling voters that he has credit for “encouraging the Biden administration to fill gaps on the border.”
Congressman Kelly has co-initiated a bill in the Senate that is pushing Democrats and Republicans on a bipartisan basis to increase the number of border patrol officers and raise their salaries.
In response to the fact that Kelly is promoting the reopening of the wall, but Biden is not highlighting it, the economist said, “Kelly’s defensive stance is working.” He said he was ahead of the Masters by about 6%.
In the case of Kelly, he is ahead of his competitors by a significant gap, but the economist points out that many of the Democratic candidates have a ‘weak attitude on border issues’ and are a factor in the reduction of votes.
A recent poll by NBC News found that registered voters were 36 percent more likely to perceive Republicans to take a stronger stance on border security than Democrats, a disparity across all issues, including the economy. is the biggest issue
The Economist pointed out that illegal immigration and border issues are drawing attention in the midterm elections in November this year because “the number of people coming in (via the Mexican border) is so high that the White House has not come up with a convincing federal response.”
The magazine analyzed, “(This year) the midterm election in November is not the first election where illegal immigration or border issues will be dealt with heavily. However, in 2022, this issue will not be limited to just a channel to convey partisan sentiment.” did.
Texas Democrat Henry Keyjar, who has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2005 and is running for a second term in this election, said the Biden administration’s response to the border issue was lukewarm, saying, “We’ll just wait, saying things will get better.” did.
In particular, the economist points out that illegal immigration is an important election issue in several states that border Mexico, such as Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico. The exception is California, where Democrats dominate.
The situation at the U.S.-Mexico border will worsen, the Economist said. “The relatively strong U.S. economy is bound to attract people living with poverty, violence and inflation, and the recent hurricane exacerbates the food crisis in the Caribbean. This will further encourage migration.”
From October last year to the end of August this year, border checkpoint staff encountered about 2.2 million entry attempts through the southern border, about 25 percent more than a year ago and more than double the number in fiscal 2019.
Since Biden took office in January 2021, an estimated 1.5 million people have been released from custody and entered the United States, including asylum seekers, those unable to be repatriated to their home countries, and minors who cannot be kept in custody for long. The American Immigration Council, a non-profit think tank, explains.