The issue of illegal immigration has been a hot-button topic in the United States for many years. In 2020, the debate over this issue intensified as President Trump took steps to reduce both legal and illegal immigration into our country.

Thankfully, statistics from U.S Customs and Border Protection (CBP) show there was a significant decrease in apprehensions at the southern border between January 2020 – March 2021 when compared with 2019 figures:

• Apprehensions decreased by 77% along Mexico’s northern border;
• Apprehensions decreased by 57% along Mexico’s western border;
• Total apprehensions at ports of entry dropped 39%.

Additionally, CBP reported that overall removals were down 17 percent from FY2019-2020 due largely to coronavirus-related travel restrictions (Title 42) implemented by the Trump administration.

However, since 2020, the numbers have exploded exponentially. Here is a link to CBPs current statistics from 2020 through the beginning of 2023. You can see the numbers on the chart below. While all of 2020, the average monthly encounters were just under 50,000 per month, today, that number is over 280,000… a more than 500% increase.

Notice the line is relatively flat from Oct 2019 – Jan 2021. Dramatic increases can only be attributed to the perception by immigrants that the border is “open”, a direct result of policies of the Biden administration. For instance, Biden is pushing to remove Title 42 restrictions that help reduce numbers. “Catch and release” is the fulltime policy used by CBP on a daily basis.

What can be done? A lot of folks wish Trump’s Wall would be completed. That might help a little, but not as much as policy changes. If illegal immigrants don’t feel welcome, they won’t come nearly as often as they are now. So, here are some of my ideas:

• They should know ahead of time that simply using the words “ASYLUM” or “REFUGEE” doesn’t grant them entrance. They must PROVE they need asylum, and that should happen AT the border before they enter, not in some court many months or years later…
• The administration (maybe VP Kamala Harris?) should identify what the problems are in other countries driving immigration, and address those issues with those countries. I do not want us spending money to improve conditions in another country, but those countries should be held accountable, even at the United Nations, for making their countries unlivable…
• Actual asylum seekers (with valid asylum claims) should be seen by a court within DAYS of entry to determine final approval. That means, we need to increase the number of judges (temporarily) to hear those cases. Afghans who helped the US government in Afghanistan and their families, should be moved to the head of that line…
• Biden should be FORCED by Congress and the Supreme Court to enforce the laws that currently exist to stop illegal immigration. Congress has so much authority to force him to act, and they are not using that authority. The Supreme Court has chimed in on the Title 42 question, but they need to do much more…
• Immigrants already in the country should be located and processed OUT of the country. This will be a massive undertaking. But, no one should be allowed to stay who came in without following the above points and the existing laws.

There are probably many more ideas that could help reduce the numbers of illegal immigrants invading our country. I’m sure you have some ideas of your own… Or maybe, you think so many coming to our country from all over the world through the southern border is not a problem at all… Please feel free to tell me your ideas, or how you feel, in the Reply section below.