The recent surge in immigration to the United States marks the highest in the nation's history, surpassing the influx during the Ellis Island era.
Under the administration of President Joe Biden, the U.S. has witnessed a significant migration spike. The New York Post reported that since the start of his term in 2021, approximately 2.4 million immigrants have entered the country annually, cumulating to an unprecedented total exceeding 8 million migrants over four years.
Of those entering, an estimated 60% have done so illegally. This considerable percentage corresponds to policy changes initiated early in Biden's presidency, where he relaxed several stringent immigration policies enacted by his predecessor and promoted pro-asylum agendas.
These alterations led to a substantial increase in the percentage of foreign-born residents in the U.S., which now stands at a record 15.2%, surpassing the peak seen in 1890. This demographic shift has brought with it both potential benefits and challenges.
The economic consequences are notable, particularly in the labor sector. Non-college-educated Americans have experienced stunted wage growth, a phenomenon attributed in part to the increased labor pool.
Public services, including schools and healthcare systems, have also felt the pressure, struggling to accommodate the rapid influx of new residents.
In 2022, encounters at the U.S. border soared to 3.3 million, illustrating the scale of crossings and the challenge of border management.
This figure slightly decreased to 2.3 million in 2023, following the expiration of Trump’s Title 42 policy, which had previously allowed the government to expel immigrants during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The financial burden on U.S. taxpayers has been immense, with costs related to illegal immigration estimated at over $150 billion annually. These figures were analyzed and highlighted by prominent organizations like the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), and Goldman Sachs, and coverage by The New York Times.
There are historical parallels to be drawn with the late 1800s, a period when the U.S. also experienced large-scale immigration.
The response then was the enactment of restrictive immigration laws by 1924, which were only repealed in 1965. This historical cycle underscores the continuous evolution of U.S. immigration policy.
Critics of the current surge express concerns over the immediate and long-term effects of such policies. Ira Mehlman, a commentator on immigration issues, stated, “For the past four years, we’ve been hearing from the administration that it’s not a problem… And the American public knows when they’re being lied to.”
Ira Mehlman also noted the potential political repercussions, suggesting, “That was one of the things that probably influenced the election,” indicating a significant shift in public sentiment.
Lora Ries criticized the administration's approach from the outset, elucidating, “What Biden created day one was chaos. He opened the borders. He sent the signal loud and clear, and the world responded by coming illegally.”
Jessica Vaughan highlighted that the conversation around immigration has often overlooked some of the most critical impacts.
“I think there has been a lot of attention on the public safety and national security risks of this,” she remarked.
Vaughan further pointed out the strain on local resources. “The schools and the healthcare systems and the housing markets and the job markets are all under stress now because of this. But the problem of the distortion of our labor markets and the impact on Americans and, to a lesser extent, legal immigrants in these communities that have had to absorb all these migrants, that story has not been told.”