海角大神

Immigration 鈥� in all its complexity 鈥� is an American tradition. It鈥檚 also top of mind for U.S. voters.

Former President Donald Trump retains his hardline stance against illegal immigration, calling for border enforcement he鈥檚 enacted before. He also still supports limiting legal immigration, including temporary permissions to stay in the country and resettling refugees.

Vice President Kamala Harris, a longtime immigrant advocate, has taken a right turn on immigration. The move seems to mirror the Biden-Harris administration, which tightened asylum policies this year following historically high levels of illegal border crossings.

More is known about Mr. Trump鈥檚 agenda after nearly a decade in the political spotlight, with illegal immigration as a signature issue. The vice president has offered fewer plans since her entrance into the race in July, but speaks of reforming a 鈥渂roken immigration system鈥� and touts her background as a prosecutor in a border state.

What the next president can accomplish on immigration will partly depend on factors beyond their desk 鈥� cooperation with countries like Mexico, lawsuits, and funding from Capitol Hill. Congress hasn鈥檛 united on major immigration reform since the 1990s.

Here鈥檚 a brief look at how the candidates compare on three key immigration issues.

Trump鈥檚 stance on illegal immigration

Both candidates pledge to secure U.S. borders, but Mr. Trump goes much further in his demonizing rhetoric toward migrants and sweeping plans to suppress illegal immigration.

The former president has said he鈥檇 involve the military in the 鈥渓argest deportation operation in American history,鈥� calling illegal immigration an 鈥渋nvasion.鈥�

鈥淚 will rescue Aurora and every town that has been invaded and conquered,鈥� he said this month in Colorado, where officials are investigating criminal activity they鈥檝e linked to a suspected Venezuelan gang.

Mr. Trump also says he鈥檒l resurrect the 鈥淩emain in Mexico鈥� policy from his time in office, which made asylum-seekers who arrived at the southern border wait in Mexico rather than the U.S. ahead of immigration court dates. (His administration also separated unauthorized immigrant families, and expelled others under a pandemic policy that continued under President Joe Biden through spring 2023.)

To discourage illegal immigration, Mr. Trump has also embraced ending birthright citizenship for children of unauthorized immigrants. An executive order challenging this constitutional right would likely land in court.

Harris鈥� stance on illegal immigration

Meanwhile, Ms. Harris has largely deflected discussion of record Border Patrol encounters with unauthorized migrants during the Biden-Harris administration. The White House has touted a reduction in illegal border crossings in recent months following new asylum restrictions, along with enforcement help from Mexico. In Arizona last month, she committed to 鈥渢ake further action to keep the border closed between ports of entry.鈥�

While her opponent calls her Mr. Biden鈥檚 鈥渂order czar,鈥� her supporters note her limited immigration role focused on 鈥渞oot causes.鈥� While campaigning, Ms. Harris highlights her experience as former attorney general of California, where she targeted international groups involved in crimes like drug trafficking.

鈥淲e can create an earned pathway to citizenship and secure our border,鈥� the Democrat told her party鈥檚 convention.

She says fixing the broken immigration system falls on Congress, and blames Mr. Trump for tanking a bipartisan bill that would have surged resources to the border.

For unauthorized immigrants who arrived as children, Ms. Harris has long championed Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. Begun in 2012, DACA lets them live and work shielded from deportation. Federal litigation continues on the program, which the Trump administration tried to end.

Where the candidates stand on immigration parole

Officials may grant immigrants temporary permission to stay. One option is called 鈥減arole,鈥� an immigration authority around since the 1950s. Today, it鈥檚 become a political lightning rod.

To deter illegal border crossings, the Biden-Harris administration promoted alternatives it called 鈥渟afe and orderly鈥� paths into the country 鈥� including parole. Conservative critics say that its broad use of parole has outstripped the government鈥檚 authority.

In one example, Democrats launched a parole pathway for certain Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans, who arrive via airports after receiving advance travel authorization and securing U.S.-based sponsors. Officials have paroled in more than half a million immigrants through this process, which survived a Republican-led lawsuit.

However, the Department of Homeland Security temporarily paused part of the process this summer, amid reports of potential sponsor fraud. Now, the program鈥檚 future is uncertain. A separate parole-based program launched by the Biden-Harris administration, for unauthorized immigrants with U.S. families, is also under legal challenge by GOP-led states.

If elected, it鈥檚 unclear how Ms. Harris may employ parole; her campaign website doesn鈥檛 mention the word. Mr. Trump says he鈥檒l end the 鈥渁buse鈥� of parole, reflecting claims on the right that it鈥檚 become a 鈥渂ackdoor鈥� for otherwise-unauthorized immigrants.

Separate from parole, Mr. Trump told NewsNation he鈥檇 also 鈥渞evoke鈥� temporary legal protections for certain Haitian immigrants. The former president has elevated false claims about them eating pets in Ohio.

Harris and Trump鈥檚 positions on refugees

Unlike asylum-seekers, refugees are approved for protection in the U.S. before they arrive.

The Biden-Harris administration admitted over 100,000 refugees in fiscal year 2024 鈥� a three-decade high. The White House has signaled an ongoing commitment to refugees by keeping the annual cap at 125,000.

By contrast, Mr. Trump set refugee-admission caps to historic lows while president. He says he鈥檒l suspend refugee resettlement if reelected.

The Republican also says he plans to revive a 鈥渢ravel ban,鈥� which critics say targeted Muslim immigrants. He鈥檚 also pledged to ban refugees 鈥渇rom terror-infested areas like the Gaza Strip.鈥� It鈥檚 unclear whether Ms. Harris would extend immigration protections for certain Palestinians already here.