Washington, D.C. — Today, the Center for American Progress released an issue brief that takes on the harmful, false, and misleading rhetoric about the situation at the southern border as an “invasion” and an “open border” policy. The issue brief outlines how the inflammatory rhetoric is inaccurate and has been misused by bad actors in order to stoke fear and play on racist anxieties ahead of the 2022 midterm elections.
The issue brief illustrates that many people in the Latin American and Caribbean region are fleeing their homes and seeking protection in countries all over the Western Hemisphere—not just in the United States. The reasons for their departures include rampant violence, political instability, food insecurity, extreme weather, and severe economic hardships exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The false invasion narrative promotes a simplistic view of the situation at the border and leads to equally simplistic solutions that are doomed to fail. Without understanding and addressing the key drivers of migration in the region, the U.S. goal of a safe, secure, and humane immigration operation at the border will remain elusive.
“If we are serious about finding effective solutions for managing the border, we should look beyond deterrence-only policies and take a comprehensive regional approach that tackles the root causes of migration, emphasizes collaboration with other countries in the region, and strengthens humanitarian safeguards,” said Silva Mathema, a director on the Immigration team at CAP. “The Biden-Harris administration should keep its focus on moving forward with its promising strategies that do exactly that. Congress should help make these plans—which can benefit the entire region—a reality in order to address irregular migration in the long term.”
Read the issue brief: “Taking Migration Seriously: Real Solutions to Complex Challenges at the Border” by Silva Mathema and Zefitret Molla
For more information or to speak with an expert, please contact Madia Coleman at [email protected].