Thursday, November 7, 2024

Federation for American Immigration Reform: Ending the Border Crisis Central to Trump’s Election

Voters Give Trump a Mandate to Act Day One, Says FAIR 


(Washington, D.C., November 6, 2024) Four years of dangerous policies that touched off the largest wave of illegal immigration in American history were a key reason why voters returned Donald Trump to office in yesterday's election. Voters loudly and clearly demanded that our leaders secure the border and end, once and for all, the Biden-Harris administration's abuse of our laws allowing millions of illegal aliens to enter the country. Beginning on January 20, he will have a mandate from the American people to make good on those promises.


"The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) looks forward to working with the incoming administration to bring real security to our borders, safety to our communities and alleviate the social and fiscal burdens imposed on Americans by the destructive immigration policies of the Biden-Harris administration," stated Dan Stein, president of FAIR.


"We call upon the Trump-Vance administration to immediately restart construction of the border wall – approved by Congress in 2006 – but summarily halted by the current administration immediately in 2021. The new administration must also take decisive steps to restore effective policies that discourage illegal aliens from attempting to reach the U.S. border. These include reinstating the Remain in Mexico policy and international agreements that require asylum-seekers to request protection in the first safe country they arrive in, rather than waiting until they reach our borders. At the same time, the administration must send a clear signal that people caught entering the country illegally will be detained and deported, not released into the country.


"Equally important, the Trump-Vance administration must immediately terminate illegal parole programs, through which the outgoing administration allowed millions of inadmissible aliens to enter the country, and revoke parole for those who should not have received it," continued Stein.


"In addition to halting the influx of illegal migrants to the country, the Trump-Vance administration must turn its attention to reducing the number of illegal aliens living here, now estimated to be at least 17 million. During the campaign, President Trump pledged to allow Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to enforce the rule of law and remove people who are in the country illegally. But he must also direct ICE to conduct worksite enforcement investigations of companies that displace American workers and exploit low-wage illegal aliens.


"When it assumes office in January, the Trump-Vance administration will also have a historic mandate from the voters to work with Congress to pass strong legislation to ensure that our immigration laws are enforced and our humanitarian policies are not abused. Enacting H.R. 2, the Secure the Border Act, passed by the House of Representatives in 2023 but ignored by the Senate, must be a top priority for the new administration.


"The American people understand that there are no quick fixes to years of neglecting immigration enforcement and the deliberate sabotage of those laws over the past four years. At the same time, they fully expect the Trump-Vance administration to take decisive action to restore order to our borders and ensure that our immigration laws are respected and enforced," concluded Stein.