In a complete reversal of policy, the Biden administration announced its decision to extend the controversial US-Mexico border wall and resume Venezuela deportations of migrants.

The dramatic moves reflect the growing political pressure to address the immigration crisis currently gripping the nation.

As the number of immigrants residing in the US without legal documentation surges to an estimated 11 million, President Joe Biden finds himself navigating treacherous waters. And sagging approval ratings and mounting calls for action seem to be driving the u-turn policy.

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Venezuela Deportations

Washington’s announcement came on October 5th, two weeks after Biden extended temporary legal status to an estimated 472,000 Venezuelans living in the United States. The announcement cited “extraordinary” circumstances. And that “the conditions in their home country prevent their safe return”.

The Venezuela deportations are front-and-center with migrant crisis taking center stage in recent months. The largest single group encountered at the US-Mexico border arrived last month. Border Patrol agents apprehended over 200,000 individuals attempting to cross the border illegally in September. And it marked the highest total in 2023.

A senior U.S. Customs and Border Protection official has warned that this figure is expected to remain high and even increase. It has become an issue too significant to ignore.

The relentless waves of migrants, refugees, and asylum-seekers arriving at the border have exacerbated President Biden's already challenged approval ratings as the nation heads into an election year.

The Texas and Trump Connection

For more than a year, Texas Governor Greg Abbott has taken matters into his own hands by busing migrants from the southern US border to cities like New York, Washington, and Chicago, sparking outrage from Democratic officials in these urban centers.

President Biden's initial actions upon taking office in January 2021 promised a complete departure from the border wall construction strategy of his predecessor, Donald Trump. 

However, Thursday's announcement emphasized that the funding allocated during Trump's term in 2019 had to be spent as required by law.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas claims that there was "no new Administration policy with respect to border walls" and reaffirmed that the Biden administration had consistently maintained that a border wall was not the answer to the immigration issue.

Former President Trump was quick to claim victory and demand an apology for the delay in resuming wall construction. Trump contended, "As I have stated often, over thousands of years, there are only two things that have consistently worked, wheels, and walls!"

Democrats now: Immigration “breaking the bank”

President Biden's decision to proceed with extending the border wall will undoubtedly draw criticism from his left-leaning base, including immigration advocates and environmentalists who oppose further construction. 

In a notice published in the Federal Register, Biden's Department of Homeland Security cited the need to waive several laws, regulations, and legal requirements to construct barriers in Starr County, Texas, where Border Patrol agents have encountered more than 245,000 people entering the US this fiscal year.

Even within his own party, some prominent Democrats, including Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker have joined the chorus of voices pressuring the president to address the growing border crisis.

Two weeks ago, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul seemingly changed her tune on the migrant crisis. She said, "If you're going to leave your country, go somewhere else."  

"We have to let the word out that when you come to New York you’re not gonna have more hotel rooms," Hochul said. "We don’t have the capacity, so we have to also message properly." 

"The smarter thing is to apply for asylum before you leave your country," the governor added. 

The shift comes from a Democrat who was famous for creating New York’s sanctuary status. 

New York City Mayor Eric Adams says the immigration crisis could "break the bank" in the city. And says the financial burden of the current crisis is destroying the city's economy. 

This week Adams took the unprecedented move of heading to Mexico to discourage immigration.

The polls are a factor

With immigration expected to be a prominent theme in the upcoming US presidential race, a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll found that 54 percent of Americans believe that "immigration is making life harder for native-born Americans."

This sentiment was particularly pronounced among Republicans, with 73 percent agreeing with the statement, while 37 percent of Democrats concurred.

The immigration issue is complex and deeply entrenched, with an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants living and working in the US, according to the Washington-based Migration Policy Institute. But it is possible with the wide-open borders during Biden’s administration that millions more have arrived with no chance of working legally.