2018 in review: How we debated immigration
As 2018 comes to a close, The 360 looks back at the stories and issues we debated this year.
The news year in review
Crying children forcibly separated from their parents at the border. A so-called travel ban imposed by the president and upheld by the Supreme Court. Warnings about a caravan of “invaders” in the weeks leading up to this year’s pivotal midterm elections. More calls to build a border wall. In 2018, immigration captured America’s attention as a slew of policy changes, executive orders and heated rhetoric started to reshape and reimagine what legal immigration looks like in the U.S.
For supporters of the Trump administration, the aggressive moves are viewed as the execution of campaign promises to strengthen America’s borders and make the nation more secure. Over the past year, the administration doubled down on its hawkish immigration agenda: sending more troops to the border, proposing an overhaul of asylum policy and floating the end of birthright citizenship.
The hardline immigration policy that drew the most bipartisan backlash was the “zero tolerance” policy that resulted in the forcible separation of hundreds of migrant children from their parents. For critics, leaked audio of crying children who were pulled from their parents demonstrated what critics regarded as only one of the most egregious examples of how the policy changes are leading to cruel, discriminatory practices in the U.S.
Recapping the perspectives
Our immigration system must be reformed. Ari Fleischer, former White House press secretary in the George W. Bush administration, wrote on
Fox News that America’s “generosity” is being taken advantage of. “Our catch-and-release procedures have turned our laws into a game of tag,” Fleischer wrote. “When people touch base in the United States, they’re safe and typically aren’t caught. That’s the practical reason so many come here illegally. Their relatives and friends have told them they can get away with it.” Daniel Twining, president of the International Republican Institute, echoed Fleischer in the
“Finding the right balance between protecting American sovereignty and interests and remaining a beacon for hardworking immigrants who wish to make their lives in America will always be a challenge,” Twining wrote. “Coping with a high volume of migrants seeking to enter the country illegally has proven to be an even more vexing problem.”
Immigrants are vital to America’s future. After Trump threatened to end birthright citizenship, the
Boston Globe editorial board wrote that the policy has “made America great,” explaining, “America has its distinctive citizenship rules because it’s always thought of itself as a distinctive place. The birthright citizenship rule was not originally part of the Constitution, but it’s an expression of America’s fundamental principle: that this country is based on an idea, not an identity, and that anyone can be an American, regardless of race, religion, or national origin.”
Separating families is necessary for the enforcement of immigration laws. Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions, known for a hardline stance on immigration, said, “We are not going to let this country be overwhelmed. People are not going to caravan or otherwise stampede our border.” Ben Boychuk, managing editor of “American Greatness,” wrote in the
Sacramento Bee, “Whether or not it made sense to separate young children from their mothers, the alternative was either to detain children alongside other adults or simply let illegal border crossers go free on their own recognizance.”
Separating families is cruel. “The hateful policy of separating children from their parents for exercising their legal right to seek asylum from violence and persecution was emblematic of the disdain his administration has shown toward those coming to the United States, many from Central America seeking protection,” wrote Marselha Gonçalves Margerin for the
Houston Chronicle. Bret Stephens, a conservative columnist for the
New York Times, condemned the policy as “a moral outrage that, had it not been belatedly terminated on Wednesday, would have taken its place in the annals of American ignominy.”
Trump uses fear-mongering rhetoric about immigrants. The
New York Times editorial board wrote, “He creates nonexistent threats, generates manufactured fears and prepares exaggerated responses, all leading to an erosion of the rule of law, to feed more fears.” Steve Benen, a producer for the Rachel Maddow Show, wrote on
MSNBC that such rhetoric is exemplified by the White House’s “Angel Families” event, which highlighted the stories of Americans whose family members have been killed by undocumented immigrants. “As far as this president is concerned, victims of crimes deserve our sympathy, but victims of crimes committed by immigrants deserve special attention, a special White House event, and a special name,” Benen wrote. “The point is to generate fear of immigrants in the hopes of advancing the president’s crusade. There is no other reason to exploit these families’ grief.”
End birthright citizenship. “American citizenship should not be like a Cracker Jack prize,” Cal Thomas wrote for the
Baltimore Sun after Trump floated an end to birthright citizenship. Thomas said, “Clearly a magnet for pregnant women to step over our border and give birth is the instant citizenship their child acquires. When older, that child can then bring in relatives who can also receive all sorts of benefits, including free education and health care.”
Abolish the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. “It’s time to abolish ICE, clear the path to citizenship, and protect the rights of families to remain together,” wrote Rep.-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., on her campaign website. “As overseen by the Trump administration, ICE operates with virtually no accountability, ripping apart families and holding our friends and neighbors indefinitely in inhumane detention centers scattered across the United States.” Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., a potential 2020 presidential candidate, initially joined calls to abolish the agency, but later clarified that she meant she wanted to “reimagine” the agency. “Give it a new name and a new directive,” Gillibrand told the Glens Falls, N.Y.,
Post-Star editorial board.
The Trump administration’s immigration policies could lead to other cruel policies. “What other terrible cruelties will happen in the name of Trump’s xenophobic and discriminatory policies? It is far past time for all of us to rise up, come together and denounce the hatred that has led us to this shameful moment in U.S. history,” wrote Marselha Gonçalves Margerin for the
What happens next?
About 5,400 migrant children are still detained in U.S. facilities. The death of a 7-year-old girl weeks ago sparked increased scrutiny of Border Patrol facilities, and with Democrats taking control of the House in 2019, lawmakers have already promised to open investigations into the conditions and quality of care of children in U.S. custody.
The fight for funding for a border wall, championed by President Trump, prompted a partial government shutdown. In the final days of 2018, Democrats and Republicans bickered over Trump’s $5 billion request, ultimately failing to reach a deal before 2019.
Mexico and the U.S. recently reached a major deal, which means that asylum seekers will wait in Mexico instead of in the U.S. while they wait for their cases to get through the courts. The changes will be rolled out slowly, but immigration advocates have questioned whether the move is legal, suggesting lawsuits could be filed against the administration in 2019.
The crackdown on immigration has put America’s reputation as a haven for immigrants on the line. Trump is a self-proclaimed nationalist, and although global leaders like French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel condemned nationalism, populist parties have gained credence and triumphed in elections across Europe, crafting similarly strict immigration policies. As 2020 approaches, Trump — whose anti-immigration rhetoric helped him triumph in the 2016 election — is likely to keep deploying his fiery tactics to rally his base ahead of his second presidential campaign.
Even though polls show a majority of the U.S. believes that the country’s openness to immigrants is essential, the immigration debate has led to a reckoning with a broader question of identity and values: Who deserves to be American?
