A recent New York Times analysis revealed that the Biden administration presided over the largest net immigration influx in American history, with a significant portion attributed to illegal crossings. Citing Congressional Budget Office figures, the Times reported an average annual net migration of 2.4 million people from 2021-2023, projecting a total exceeding eight million during Biden's term. This encompasses both legal and illegal immigration, with a Goldman Sachs report estimating that illegal immigration accounts for 60% of this surge.
This historic immigration wave propelled the U.S. foreign-born population to an unprecedented 15.2% in 2023, surpassing the previous 1890 record of 14.8%. The Times analysis attributed this surge to several factors, primarily President Biden's immigration policies. Seen as a departure from the Trump administration's stricter approach, Biden's policies eased asylum rules and other immigration regulations. This, coupled with global crises in nations like Haiti, Ukraine, and Venezuela, and the expansion of smuggler networks, fueled the increase.
While the Times acknowledged potential downsides such as strain on social services and job competition, it also noted potential benefits like reduced service costs and assistance to higher-income Americans who don't typically compete with immigrants for jobs. The report highlighted that a tightening of enforcement policies in June led to a significant drop in border crossings, suggesting a strong correlation between policy and migration flows.
This issue became a central theme in the 2024 presidential campaign, with then-candidate Donald Trump emphasizing concerns about high illegal immigration rates. Trump pledged to prioritize deporting non-citizens with criminal convictions and those with outstanding removal orders. Data from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) revealed over seven million non-detained illegal immigrants in the U.S. awaiting or undergoing removal proceedings, including hundreds of thousands with criminal convictions or pending charges. Customs and Border Protection sources also reported over 302,000 migrant encounters at the southern border in December 2023, an all-time monthly high.
