Trump’s incendiary rhetoric is only accelerating immigration

What’s behind the reversal? For one thing, Trump’s incendiary rhetoric about the “invasion” at the border has only advertised how easy it is to come to the United States. What better way to signal to would-be migrants that the door is open than to warn that “We’re on track for a million illegal aliens to rush our borders” this year? For another, people who initially put their travel plans on pause after the election can see that while Trump has cracked down on immigration, the worst elements of his agenda may be yet to come. Rather than acting as a deterrent, Trump’s promises to build a wall and bar asylum claims, among other things, have generated a sense of urgency to make the journey before conditions become even harsher.

Although Central Americans still comprise the majority of migrants apprehended at the U.S.-Mexican border and receive the most attention, more and more migrants are coming from other regions, mainly Asia and Africa. People from these regions now account for eight percent of total border apprehensions, up from just one percent ten years ago. There can be little doubt that the president’s rhetoric, coupled with the start-and-stop nature of his policies, has played a role in attracting migrants who might not otherwise have considered this route. As one smuggler working along the Guatemala-Mexico border told a reporter from Vice News, “Trump gave an opportunity for the entire world to get into the U.S.”