How The Presidential Race Affects Immigration Policy

It is very likely that the presidential race affects immigration policy and reform in more ways than one during this election year. Both parties couldn’t be more polarized on the subject, with no common ground in sight. Although both parties are calling for immigration reform, both are on completely different sides of the issue of what reform is needed – illustrating how much bi-partisan gridlock affects decisions on immigration, leading to no reform at all. Immigration bonds have become a common occurrence, and while democrats want to naturalize more illegals, republicans want to stop them from reaching U.S. borders.

At the moment, Republican front runner Donald Trump is proposing the creation of a wall on the United States-Mexico border; to be paid for by Mexico. At the Democratic debates in May, an illegal immigrant took to the stand and talked about her experiences in the United States. Lucia Quiej asked Senator Clinton and Senator Sanders how they would help reunited families after deportation had separated them. Immigration bonds may lead to the release of the detainee, but deportation is still an option afterwards. Both Clinton and Sanders were opposed to splitting up families and responded as such.

However, it is not just that debate; most, if not all presidential campaigns have focused primarily on immigration reform, as well as foreign policy. Most of the republican candidates argue that the Obama administration has been far too lenient on illegal immigrants; referring to the recent issues with the DACA and DAPA bills that the president is fighting to keep alive in the supreme court. Policy changes will have a dramatic effect on immigration bonds, one way or the other.