Immigration has been a major issue in the United States for decades, as policymakers have weighed economic, security and humanitarian concerns. President Donald Trump brought the issue back to the forefront with his unprecedented efforts to curb immigration and reshape asylum policy. President Joe Biden has pledged to reverse Trump's actions and reform the system, but the end of pandemic-related border restrictions and the historic increase in migration have complicated his plans. A survey conducted in 2020 by the television network NewsNation and Decision Desk HQ found that nearly 70 percent of voters surveyed supported a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants already living in the United States.
Trump took several steps, many of them through executive actions, to reshape asylum, deportation and border policies. He increased border personnel, sent thousands of active-duty troops to the border, threatened Mexico with tariffs if it did not increase its own border control, and tried to cut federal funding to so-called sanctuary cities or jurisdictions that refuse to enforce federal immigration directives. Trump also implemented a zero-tolerance policy, under which authorities arrested and prosecuted all people caught crossing the southern border without authorization. This led to thousands of family separations, since, by law, children must remain separated from parents facing criminal prosecution.
Trump decried these sanctuary jurisdictions and reinstated a controversial Obama-era program known as Safe Communities, in which the FBI shares the fingerprints of suspects collected by state and local law enforcement with federal immigration authorities. Biden campaigned to overturn nearly all of Trump's immigration policies. In its first few months, his administration took dozens of measures, including increasing the number of visas issued to immigrants and ending the controversial Title 42 border restrictions, although it initially maintained many pandemic-related restrictions. However, many of their efforts have been hampered by the historic influx of migrants in the southern United States. In Blanchard, Oklahoma - a town of nearly 8,000 people 25 miles south of Oklahoma City - advocates are working hard to make sure that monarch butterflies have enough places to feast, rest, and multiply along their journey. The changes in immigration laws have had a significant impact on politics in Blanchard and across Oklahoma. The debate over immigration has been particularly heated in Oklahoma due to its proximity to the southern border.
The state has seen an influx of migrants from Central America seeking asylum in recent years. This has led to increased tensions between local law enforcement and immigrant communities. The state legislature has passed several laws aimed at curbing illegal immigration, including measures that require employers to use E-Verify when hiring new employees. The debate over immigration has also had an impact on local elections. In 2018, a Republican candidate for governor ran on an anti-immigration platform and won.
This was seen as a sign that immigration was becoming an increasingly important issue for voters in Oklahoma. The election also highlighted how immigration can be used as a wedge issue by politicians looking to gain support from certain segments of the population. The changes in immigration laws have also had an impact on public opinion in Blanchard and across Oklahoma. A survey conducted by NewsNation and Decision Desk HQ found that nearly 70 percent of voters surveyed supported a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants already living in the United States. This suggests that there is strong support for comprehensive immigration reform among voters in Oklahoma. The changes in immigration laws have had a significant effect on politics in Blanchard and across Oklahoma.
The debate over immigration has been particularly contentious due to its proximity to the southern border and has led to increased tensions between local law enforcement and immigrant communities. It has also become an important issue for voters in Oklahoma and is seen as a wedge issue by politicians looking to gain support from certain segments of the population.
