Immigration and border policy: Where do the 2024 presidential candidates stand?

Washington DC - As the 2024 presidential election looms, the' stances on and border policy are coming under the spotlight.

Migrants walk along the US side of the border wall in Jacumba Hot Springs, California, after crossing from Mexico. © Frederic J. BROWN / AFP

Immigration and the border has become a key election issue as candidates vie for a seat in the Oval Office.

Generations of US and Western colonialism and intervention, as well as natural disasters fueled by the global climate emergency, have forced many people to flee their homes in hopes of safety and a better life.

The right to seek asylum is internationally recognized in the and the , and domestically in the Refugee Act of 1980.

Nevertheless, the US has seen a massive crackdown on asylum rights in recent years, while many people residing in the US are still as well as permanent residency and a pathway to citizenship. At the same time, the increased militarization of law enforcement in the borderlands has left many community members, regardless of citizenship status.

and have described the US' systematic denial of asylum rights and inhumane treatment of people at the border as , calling for comprehensive reforms to end rampant abuses.

As the November election approaches, here is where the 2024 presidential candidates stand on immigration and border policy.

Kamala Harris – Democratic Party Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris tours the border wall with a Border Patrol agent in Douglas, Arizona. © REUTERS

Democratic presidential nominee has said she plans to enact a bipartisan border policy bill jettisoned in Congress earlier this year. The legislation would send even more law enforcement to the borderlands and increase Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention capacity.

Harris, the daughter of immigrant parents, has insisted that so-called "border security" may go hand in hand with creating a pathway to citizenship for migrants residing in the US. She has expressed support for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program now under threat.

With Harris as vice president, the Biden administration has taken steps to and allow the president to to people seeking asylum, echoing a similar policy instituted by Donald Trump in 2018. The Trump asylum ban was ultimately struck down in court.

Since launching her 2024 White House bid, the Democratic nominee has sought to present a tough-on-migration image by highlighting her career in law enforcement.

Donald Trump – Republican Party Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump speaks as members of National Border Patrol Council stand beside him during a campaign rally in Prescott Valley, Arizona. © REUTERS

Republican presidential nominee has made anti-immigrant rhetoric and harsh border policy a cornerstone of his 2024 bid for the White House.

If reelected, Trump has pledged to carry out the in US history and to hire 10,000 more border patrol agents and give them a $10,000 retention and signing bonus.

Trump, who received the endorsement of the National Border Patrol Council, has accused migrants of He and his running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance, have faced widespread backlash for their , falsely suggesting they were eating people's pets, which have endangered people of Haitian descent.

During his first term as president, Trump unsuccessfully sought to end the DACA and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) programs. He also in 2017 declared a , including Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen, as well as North Korea and Venezuela.

Jill Stein – Green Party Green Party presidential nominee Dr. Jill Stein calls for ending the criminalization of asylum. © REUTERS

Green Party presidential nominee supports addressing the root causes of migration across the Southern border, which include US intervention and destabilization, the war on drugs, harmful sanctions, and continued environmental destruction.

Stein wants to end the criminalization of asylum, grant amnesty to every undocumented person in the US, expand services for refugees, and create a legal pathway to citizenship for immigrants.

She advocates abolishing ICE and establishing an Office of Citizenship, Refugees, and Immigration Services under the Department of Labor.

During a recent visit to Texas, Stein as a "disaster" created and advanced by both Republican and Democratic administrations.

Claudia De la Cruz – Party for Socialism and Liberation Party for Socialism and Liberation presidential candidate Claudia De la Cruz calls for the extension of citizenship rights to every person living in the US. © REUTERS

Party for Socialism and Liberation presidential candidate and her running mate, Karina Garcia, Garcia, were both born to immigrant parents.

The socialist ticket opposes the capitalist and imperialist forces that destabilize other countries, drive the global climate crisis, and force people to migrate. They also stand against the .

Their campaign, instead, calls for comprehensive immigration reform in accordance with international law and the extension of citizenship rights to every person living in the US.

Cornel West – Independent Independent presidential candidate Dr. Cornel West wants to abolish ICE and protect asylum rights. © IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

Independent presidential candidate supports abolishing ICE, protecting asylum rights, and streamlining processes for obtaining citizenship, permanent residency, and work visas.

West opposes family separations and detention of children under cruel conditions.

He has vowed to expand dialogue and cooperation with leaders in Latin American countries, while acknowledging US responsibility for many of the conditions driving migration patterns today.

Chase Oliver – Libertarian Party Libertarian presidential nominee Chase Oliver wants to simplify immigrant processing and create a pathway to citizenship for undocumented residents in the US. © IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

Libertarian presidential nominee wants to simplify processing procedures at ports of entry, enabling immigrants to obtain visas within a matter of days.

Oliver has called for a pathway to citizenship for undocumented residents, DACA-eligible residents, and the children of foreign workers admitted on temporary work visas.

He also aims to expand the H1B visa and startup visa in order to boost American innovation.

The general election for president takes place on November 5, 2024, with early voting already underway in some states.