Podcast Summary: Tangle – PREVIEW: The Friday Edition: Yes, Biden Really Did Make a Mess of Immigration
Host: Isaac Saul
Episode Release Date: April 25, 2025
Episode Title: PREVIEW - The Friday Edition: Yes, Biden Really Did Make a Mess of Immigration
Podcast Description: Independent, non-partisan politics news featuring diverse political perspectives, insightful discussions on current events, and interviews with key figures in the political arena.
Introduction
In this special Friday edition preview of the Tangle Podcast, host Isaac Saul delves into the contentious topic of President Joe Biden's handling of immigration. Breaking from the usual multi-guest format, Saul presents a comprehensive analysis solely from his perspective, aiming to argue that Biden has significantly exacerbated the immigration crisis in the United States.
Establishing the Problem
Saul begins by contextualizing the current immigration challenges within the broader framework of historical and legal precedents. He highlights the Refugee Act of 1980, emphasizing its origins as a response to America's failure to accept Jewish refugees during the Holocaust and its unintended role in today's immigration system overload.
Notable Quote:
"No law is having a bigger influence on immigration issues in the US today than the Refugee Act of 1980... it's now having this huge impact on our immigration system today."
(00:03)
He underscores that every administration's actions reverberate through policy and public perception, often in unforeseen ways. Biden's approach, contrasting sharply with his predecessor Trump's stringent policies, is presented as a pivotal factor in the current surge of immigration.
The Surge Under Biden
Saul presents alarming statistics to establish the severity of the situation:
- Migrant Encounters: An unprecedented high of nearly 11 million encounters at the southern border during Biden's first four years.
- Peak Crisis: In December 2023, CBP recorded nearly 302,000 migrant encounters, compared to just under 7,200 the previous month—the lowest since Biden took office.
- Immigrant Population: Approximately 5 million illegal immigrants remain in the U.S., surpassing the population of half the American states, not accounting for an additional 1.4 million legally paroled migrants.
Notable Quote:
"This surge pushed federal agencies to the brink, and it strained even major cities with massive budgets like New York."
(04:45)
Biden's Policies and Their Impacts
Saul identifies three primary policies attributed to Biden's immigration difficulties:
-
Relaxed Immigration Enforcement Agenda:
- Biden campaigned on a "carrot and stick" approach, promising to restore the U.S. as a haven for refugees and asylum seekers.
- Promises included halting border wall construction, ending family separations, and creating a path to citizenship for 11 million undocumented individuals.
- These promises were perceived by many migrants as an invitation to enter the U.S. legally and even illegally with the expectation of favorable treatment.
Notable Quote:
"Biden's posturing and policies opened the door to more legal and illegal immigration."
(05:30) -
Undoing Trump's Effective Policies:
- Biden revoked several of Trump's immigration policies, including the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) and the Title 42 expulsions, which had previously limited illegal crossings.
- The removal of these policies without adequate replacements led to administrative chaos and contributed to the surge in illegal entries.
Notable Quote:
"Without replacing those policies with long term alternatives... the numbers were bound to surge."
(10:15) -
Expansion of Parole Programs and Introduction of the CBP1 App:
- Biden significantly expanded parole programs, allowing over 1 million migrants to enter the U.S. legally on a temporary basis.
- The CBP1 app streamlined asylum applications but overwhelmed border resources, causing further strain and increased encounters.
Notable Quote:
"Biden created the CBP1 app that allowed more people to directly apply for asylum on their phones... it put a huge administrative burden on agents already over capacity."
(14:30)
Counterarguments and Rebuttals
Saul acknowledges the common defenses of Biden's immigration policies and systematically addresses them:
-
Unprecedented Labor Demand and Pandemic Conditions:
- While acknowledging economic factors contributing to migration, Saul argues that effective policy adjustments could have mitigated the surge.
-
Trump Sabotage of Bipartisan Immigration Reform:
- Saul contends that despite claims of bipartisan efforts stalling under Trump, the core issues remained unaddressed, necessitating decisive policy actions that Biden failed to implement effectively.
-
Humanitarian Intentions vs. Policy Outcomes:
- Although Biden's policies aimed to be humane, the lack of structure and enforcement led to unintended negative consequences, undermining the humanitarian goals.
Notable Quote:
"Chalking up this flagging sentiment toward immigrants solely as latent xenophobia misses these points."
(07:50)
Legal and Administrative Challenges
Saul delves into the legal controversies surrounding Biden's parole programs:
- CHNV Parole Program: Alleged to overstep legal boundaries by not adhering strictly to humanitarian criteria, leading to lawsuits questioning its legitimacy.
- CBP1 App: Criticized for increasing the workload on already overwhelmed border agents without providing adequate resource support.
Notable Quote:
"Since the parole program also relied entirely on executive authority, it was also tenuous."
(16:00)
Long-Term Implications
Saul warns that Biden's immigration policies have set a challenging precedent for future administrations:
- Deportation Difficulties: Massive illegal entry numbers have made mass deportations impractical and inhumane.
- Political Ramifications: Public dissatisfaction has facilitated the rise of aggressive immigration policies under subsequent administrations, continuing the cycle of dysfunction.
Notable Quote:
"Stemming the flow of migration across the southern border actually helps you manage the whole system long term."
(07:10)
Conclusion
Isaac Saul concludes by emphasizing that while Biden's immigration policies were not the sole cause of the crisis, his administration's decisions significantly exacerbated an already complex issue. He underscores the importance of comprehensive and sustainable immigration reform to prevent future crises and calls for bipartisan efforts to address the systemic inefficiencies at the border.
Notable Quote:
"Perhaps one of the most significant actions Biden took on immigration was vastly expanding parole... however, it was controversial and has now been rolled back by the following administration, leaving tens of thousands in limbo."
(17:00)
Final Thoughts
This preview of Tangle's Friday Edition presents a critical examination of Biden's immigration policies, supported by data and legal analysis. Isaac Saul provides a thorough argument that while challenges existed prior, the administration's actions played a pivotal role in the current state of U.S. immigration. The episode serves as a compelling piece for listeners seeking to understand the complexities and ramifications of recent immigration policies.