Donald Trump’s titanic triumph

Donald Trump could be on the verge of a major immigration policy win; the White House is considering reintroducing some of his administration’s policies in a bid to reduce pressure on the southern border and unlock funding for Ukraine.

Under President Joe Biden, the number of suspected illegal migrants detained after crossing the U.S.-Mexico border has surged to a record high, with the figure hitting 2.4 million in the 2023 fiscal year that ended in September.

One leading political scientist told Newsweek the Biden administration’s “wholly inadequate” policies have left the president “staggeringly vulnerable to Trump’s more hardline immigration rhetoric.” It comes less than a year before the two men could potentially face off in the November 2024 presidential election.

Newsweek has contacted the White House press office and a Donald Trump spokesperson for comment by email.

However, a tightening of restrictions risks angering the Democrats progressive base; many are already smarting from the president’s strong backing for Israel during the nation’s ongoing offensive against Hamas. House Republicans are demanding major concessions on immigration, in return for the passage of a $106 billion package providing additional support to both Ukraine and Israel.

Earlier this week, political news outlet Politico said Biden is thinking about creating a new version of Title 42. This was a measure introduced by the Trump administration in 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic and only lifted in May 2023. It allowed the swift expulsion from the U.S. of migrants coming from countries where infectious disease was present.

The White House is reportedly also considering expanding the “expedited removal” of undocumented migrants who either fail their initial asylum screenings, or don’t request asylum, without a full hearing. In a further tightening of existing regulations, migrants could be held in detention while waiting for their U.S. court dates, which can take months or even years.

In October, the Biden administration committed to building 20 miles of border wall in Starr County, Texas, despite it previously releasing a declaration that such a wall “is not a serious policy solution.” The funding was authorized under Trump, and Biden admitted to reporters that he doubts the wall will actually work. This sparked an angry response from Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. He said the construction is “contrary” to what Biden had previously promised, adding: “I understand there is strong pressure from extreme right-wing political groups in the United States.”

The immigration surge has put a number of Democratic-controlled cities under intense pressure, with New York Mayor Eric Adams warning the issue “will destroy New York City” unless action is taken. Texas Governor Greg Abbott has organized for buses to take tens of thousands of migrants from his state to Democratic-run ‘sanctuary cities.’

Thomas Gift, a political scientist who heads the Centre on U.S. Politics at University College London, told Newsweek that reports the Biden administration is considering concessions on migration demonstrate its policies have failed.

Gift said: “Biden’s capitulations reflect growing concern, particularly among the center-left, at what a disaster U.S. immigration policy remains.

“It’s too strong to say that the White House is surrendering to Trump-era demands, and Biden is by no means entirely culpable for the current crisis. But it is a recognition that the administration’s efforts to deal with the problem at the U.S.-Mexico border have been wholly inadequate,” Gift added.

“Unless the White House can make some changes to show it recognizes the scale of the problem, it leaves Biden staggeringly vulnerable to Trump’s more hardline immigration rhetoric.”