One common claim is that President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have not taken action to address the border crisis. In fact, they backed a bipartisan effort, the Border Act of 2024, which was poised to pass earlier this year. The bill was a comprehensive immigration reform package designed to curb illegal crossings, strengthen the asylum process, and close loopholes exploited by criminal cartels.
However, despite gaining significant support from both sides of the aisle, the bill ultimately failed—not because it was ineffective, but because former President Donald Trump publicly denounced it. His opposition created a political roadblock, as Trump’s influence over Republican lawmakers meant that many who were previously on board suddenly reversed their positions.
The Border Patrol Union Endorsed the Bill
The claim that this bill wasn’t a serious effort is flat-out wrong. One of the most notable endorsements came from the National Border Patrol Council (NBPC), the labor union representing over 18,000 Border Patrol agents. This is significant because the NBPC had endorsed Trump in the 2020 election. Yet, the union stated clearly that the bipartisan bill “would drop illegal border crossings nationwide” and help agents regain control of border security.
The bill’s provisions were designed to end the practice of catch-and-release, streamline the asylum process, and provide new resources to manage migrant surges. It even included a mechanism to temporarily shut down the border if the number of encounters exceeded 5,000 per day, ensuring that the system would not be overwhelmed. Despite criticism from some conservative lawmakers, the bill was seen as one of the most comprehensive efforts in decades to manage the border effectively.
Trump’s Role in Killing the Bill
The biggest obstacle to this bill wasn’t its content—it was Donald Trump. Initially, there was optimism that the bill would pass with bipartisan support. Even Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell encouraged his fellow Republicans to vote for it. But when Trump came out against the legislation, the political landscape shifted overnight.
Trump’s opposition wasn’t based on the bill’s merits but on his desire to campaign on the message that only he could fix the border crisis. Passing the Border Act under Biden’s administration would have undermined that narrative. Trump labeled the bill a “gift to Democrats” and pressured Republicans not to support it. His influence proved powerful, as only four Republican senators ultimately voted in favor of the bill. Even McConnell, who had co-authored and championed the bill, voted against it after Trump’s intervention.
As Vice President Kamala Harris pointed out in a recent debate, Trump “preferred to run on a problem instead of fixing a problem.” His strategy was clear: keep the border crisis unresolved to fuel his 2024 campaign.
What Really Happened?
The collapse of the Border Act of 2024 is a story of political influence, not policy failure. The bipartisan bill addressed key concerns about illegal crossings, asylum backlogs, and border security. The National Border Patrol Council saw it as a solution to many ongoing problems, yet it was stifled by Trump’s political agenda.
While the Biden administration supported this bipartisan effort, Trump’s pressure on Republican lawmakers ensured its defeat. The result? Continued border challenges that could have been addressed months ago.
