Donald Trump and the Republican party continue to prioritize immigration as a key issue in winning over voters. But to understand how border policies would be impacted, the 2024 GOP platform offers a 20-point agenda that presents shutting down the US-Mexico border as one of its top priorities.
“We don’t have to look far to see what Trump is threatening to do to our community,” said Murad Awawdeh, President and CEO of the New York Immigration Coalition.
He referenced Trump’s history of targeting immigrants during his first term and noted his current threats of mass deportations, ending protections like TPS, and shutting down the border. “Yet again, we don’t have to look too far to think about whether it is something he can do, or if he will do. He did it before and even against a court order, and people had to sue him in court to actually get him to reopen it,” Awawdeh added.
He said that Trump is likely to continue scapegoating immigrants “for the failings of government and not responding to the needs of people across this country.”
The Republican Party’s 2024 platform reflects Trump’s dominant influence over the party and provides us a glimpse of Trump’s 2024 campaign platform on border policy. It begins with vows to “seal the border and stop the migrant invasion,” and “carry out the largest deportation operation in American history.” The platform also attributes the rising costs of housing, education, and healthcare for American families undocumented immigration.
Also Read: How Will Democrats Respond to Republicans’ Inaccurate Message on Immigration?
Trump’s 2024 campaign platform on border policy builds on and strengthens the measures he championed during his first term as president where he called to “Build the wall.” Beginning in 2017 as president, he focused his efforts on enhancing border security, curbing undocumented immigration, and prioritizing policies that put American citizens first. But now, his campaign platform lists broad goals for deterring immigration without a concrete plan of how to achieve them.
A cornerstone of Trump’s 2024 immigration policy is the continued focus on border security. Republicans have said they will “restore every Border Policy” of the Trump administration, including completing the border wall, shifting massive portions of federal law enforcement to immigration enforcement, and use advanced technology to monitor and secure the border. They also proposed to “deploy the U.S. Navy to impose a full Fentanyl Blockade on the waters of our Region—boarding and inspecting ships to look for fentanyl and fentanyl precursors.”
Additionally, Trump’s policy includes a pledge to ramp up enforcement against undocumented immigrants within the United States. The platform proposes strengthening ICE, increasing penalties for undocumented entry and visa overstays, and reinstating the “Remain in Mexico” policy, which requires asylum seekers to wait in Mexico while their cases are processed in U.S. courts. Aggressive measures like the Alien Enemies Act, the Travel Ban, and the use of Title 42 to reduce illegal immigrants are also expected to be restored.
Trump and the Republicans have also pledged to deport undocumented immigrants and remove those who have violated the law, claiming they will “begin the largest deportation program in American history.” However, some view this as unlikely due to practical and feasibility concerns.
Trump continues to link migrants with crime, vowing to “stop the migrant crime epidemic, demolish foreign drug cartels, crush gang violence, and lock up violent offenders.” However, data does not support the claim of a migrant crime surge.
