As word spreads that Trump may return to office, the Biden administration is stepping up its response to the possibility of a surge in immigration. Many potential immigrants from Central and South America are worried that Trump may adopt a tougher border policy after taking office, and are considering going to the United States before the new policy is introduced. Homeland Security officials have begun to develop multiple contingency plans to avoid the chaos that may be caused by a surge in immigration.

Concerns about the surge in immigration and the response of the Department of Homeland Security

According to NBC News, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas recently held a virtual meeting with his advisers, senior officials from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The theme of the meeting revolved around the potential impact of the possibility of Trump's election on the surge in immigration and how to deal with this challenge. Officials at the meeting discussed how to prepare for border emergencies in the coming months, ensure sufficient detention facilities, and quickly respond to possible large-scale immigration applications.

Although there is no significant increase in the number of immigrants going to the United States, officials at the Department of Homeland Security are worried that the number of immigrants may surge if Trump wins the election. Many practical issues were raised at the meeting, such as whether CBP and ICE have sufficient resources and capabilities to handle the huge number of immigration applications that may arise, especially how to manage immigrants who do not meet the asylum requirements to prevent the border system from being overloaded and causing a large number of immigrants to be temporarily released.

Immigration discussions and trends on social platforms

After the news spread, immigrant groups in South America began to communicate through the social platform WhatsApp. Many potential immigrants shared their views on the opportunity to go to the United States and discussed whether now is the "time to go to the United States." Smugglers also stepped up their publicity services on these social platforms to induce immigrants to believe that the road to the United States is still open.

A spokesman for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection said that immigrants should not believe the false propaganda of smugglers. Immigrants were told that the United States is still enforcing current immigration laws and advised immigrants who want to go to the United States to apply for entry through legal and safe channels. Officials in the Biden administration reminded not to rashly take risks and embark on the journey because of concerns about Trump's border policies after taking office.

Psychological fluctuations in immigrants caused by Trump's border policies

During the campaign, Trump promised many times that if elected, he would adopt stricter border policies, including a high-pressure deportation policy for illegal immigrants. This statement has exacerbated the panic of potential immigrants in South America. Analysts believe that Trump's tough immigration policies during his past terms have prevented many illegal immigrants from successfully entering the country, and his promise to "repatriate millions of illegal immigrants" has directly led to the intention of immigrants to flock to the United States before Trump took office.

Officials from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said that in order to cope with possible immigration waves, the Department of Homeland Security will continue to evaluate border conditions and immigration flow trends. Officials stressed that even if a large number of immigration applications appear, the department will insist on enforcing immigration laws to avoid chaos at the border before Trump takes office.

Future challenges and policy adjustments

As the possibility of Trump's election increases, the Biden administration faces many challenges in dealing with potential immigration waves. While developing contingency plans, officials are also evaluating how to improve current detention facilities and trial procedures to minimize the impact of possible policy changes. The Department of Homeland Security said it will continue to increase its efforts to crack down on smugglers and reduce the opportunities for illegal immigrants to enter the United States through irregular channels.

At present, the Biden administration is taking "pre-emptive" measures to try to perfect the response plan for potential immigration waves to prevent disorderly entry before Trump takes office. In the coming months, regardless of the outcome of the election, the United States’ immigration policy and border management will face severe tests.