5 notable provisions in the Democratic Party platform

By Ryan Foley, Christian Post Reporter Tuesday, August 20, 2024

A U.S. Border Patrol agent body searches illegal immigrants at the U.S.-Mexico border on May 12, 2023, in El Paso, Texas. The U.S. Covid-era Title 42 immigration policy ended the night before. Border authorities and U.S. citizens are concerned about the massive influx of asylum claims and the humanitarian crisis facilitated by cartels trafficking drugs and humans into the U.S. | John Moore/Getty Images

3. Includes vow to secure the border

The platform contains an entire section devoted to “securing the border,” which is part of a much larger chapter outlining the Democrats’ positions on immigration policy.

“In President Biden’s second term, he will push Congress to provide the resources and authorities that we need to secure the border. This includes additional border patrol agents, immigration judges, asylum officers, cutting-edge inspection machines to help detect and stop the flow of fentanyl, and funding for cities and states that are sheltering migrants,” the document insists.

Perhaps as an acknowledgement of the president’s dismal approval rating on immigration, the document contains additional rhetoric illustrating a desire to crack down on the surge of migration at the border: “The President should have emergency authority to expel migrants who are crossing unlawfully and stop processing asylum claims except for those using a safe and orderly process at Ports of Entry.”

“The authority should be accompanied by humanitarian exceptions for vulnerable populations including unaccompanied children and victims of trafficking,” the platform continues. “Congress should also dedicate resources to detain and remove individuals quickly, and rapidly process those who cannot be detained in a non-custodial setting under government supervision. Those who pose a threat to public safety or national security must be identified and removed as quickly as possible.”

The calls for strong border enforcement occur in the context of the platform pushing for “legislation to secure our border, fix our immigration system, and provide a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers and others” and lamenting Congress’ failure to pass it. The term “Dreamers” refers to illegal immigrants brought to the country as children. The immigration policies put forth in the document would also “expand legal immigration” and establish pathways to citizenship for “long-term undocumented individuals.”