Democrats Ordered to Ditch Biden-Era Immigration Narrative, Now Focusing on Reducing Border Crossings

Immigration is often considered one of President Joe Biden's greatest failures, rolling back some restrictions on the southern border that led to an unprecedented mass migration and eventually, Donald Trump's victory in the 2024 general election cycle. Now, Democrats are being directed to ditch their long time narrative of "comprehensive immigration reform."

According to a scoop obtained by Axios, Senate Democrats were told in a blunt meeting on Wednesday about the urgent need to abandon their usual narrative on the border, focusing instead on reducing border crossings as well as increasing legal pathways to citizenship, reforming the asylum system and expanding access to humanitarian aid outside of the U.S.

They were briefed by Andrea Flores, a top staffer with the bipartisan FWD.us political organization, at their policy retreat in Virginia. The briefing criticized the Biden administration for not properly articulating their stance on immigration, a strategy that, according to Flores, ultimately helped Republicans.

Flores worked for the Biden White House, leaving after the first year and becoming a public critic of its handling of the border. Biden's border strategy further alienated Latino voters who'd waited for decades for a path to legalization, while new arrivals quickly received work permits, Axios explained.

Just like in his first term, President Trump made immigration a key pillar for his campaign, coupled with the economy. He promised to carry out the largest mass deportation operation in American history.

Since he returned to office, he has signed a plethora of executive orders to curb down immigration, as well as enact the wartime Alien Enemies Act, which allowed to swiftly deport Venezuelan migrants accused of being gang, specifically Tren de Aragua, members to El Salvador's infamous terrorism confinement mega-prison known as CECOT.

Interestingly, the lawmakers were told that support for President Trump's immigration policies, once his strongest polling issue, has dropped dramatically, making this an essential time for Democrats to refine their rhetoric. Flores particularly highlighted that voters are weary of the White House's disregard for due process in its mass deportation program, pointing to the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland man who was mistakenly deported and being held in El Salvador despite the U.S. Supreme Court order for the facilitation of his return.

Different polling supports this statement. In a recent Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll, a majority of Americans, 53%, disapprove of Trump's handling of immigration, with 46% approving, a reversal from February when that same poll showed that half of the public voiced support for his approach.

Likewise, a CNN poll conducted by SSRS found just over half, 52%, of Americans say Trump has gone too far in deporting undocumented migrants, up from 45% in February. A similar 52% now say that Trump's immigration policies have not made the U.S. safer. And most, 57%, say they do not believe the federal government is being careful in following the law while carrying out deportations.