[The Viewpoint of Dongki Kim] The Key Issue in the U.S. Presidential Election: Immigration

7.5 Million Undocumented Immigrants Among U.S. Workers
Making Up 5% of the Total Labor Force
3.2 Million Arrived Illegally at the Border Last Year
60% of Americans See Illegal Immigration as a Serious Problem
Even the Pro-Immigration Democratic Party Faces Challenges
Trump Pledges Mass Deportation of Undocumented Migrants

Attorney Dongki Kim · Author of 'The Power of Geopolitics' and 'The Power of the Dollar'

Immigration is a key issue in the upcoming U.S. presidential election this November. More than 60% of Americans perceive illegal immigration as a very serious problem, and the majority support the construction of a U.S.-Mexico border wall. According to data from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), 249,785 people were arrested for illegal border crossings in December last year. Over 6.3 million people have been apprehended attempting to enter the U.S. illegally under the Biden administration, marking a scale larger than ever before.

Population movement has long existed across the Americas. Since around 2015, there have been more illegal entrants from countries other than Mexico. Under the Trump administration, most entrants were from Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador, fleeing poverty and oppression. However, in recent years, there has been an increase in entrants from South America?especially Venezuela, Colombia, Nicaragua?as well as from Caribbean countries such as Haiti and Cuba. These migrants fled due to political and economic crises or natural disasters in their home countries. Venezuela is the most severely affected country. Of the 248,000 migrants who passed through Panama’s Dari?n Gap jungle in 2022, Venezuelans accounted for 61%, or 150,000 people. Among entrants from outside the Americas, the largest increase has been among Chinese nationals. According to CBP, about 37,000 Chinese were detained at the southern U.S. border last year, a 50-fold increase compared to two years ago.

The number of people arriving at the U.S. border without prior authorization reached approximately 3.2 million in 2023. A significant portion of these applied for asylum. Asylum seekers or those requesting humanitarian relief are allowed to stay in the U.S. until a final decision is made. About 200,000 migrants received stay permits in 2023 alone. Since 2016, only 12?17% of asylum applications have been approved. However, asylum seekers often earn money in the U.S. for years before a final decision, sending remittances back home and sometimes obtaining residency through other means. State governments near the border and cities like New York have faced increased burdens to provide housing and public services to these migrants.

For decades, the Democratic Party has been favorable toward immigration. However, recently, even among Hispanic voters, support for stricter illegal immigration controls has grown. Moreover, Democratic-leaning states and cities have called for stronger border control as they face financial pressures from the surge in migrant numbers. Since 2022, 150,000 migrants have arrived in New York City. In response, the Biden administration has begun to take a more active stance on illegal immigration, deporting over 142,000 illegal entrants in 2023 alone. Fundamentally, however, it is necessary to develop the economies of countries that produce illegal migrants and regulate migration flows. As part of this solution, the Biden administration has signed agreements with several countries and, under Vice President Kamala Harris’s leadership, planned measures to provide $4 billion in support over four years. Yet, these efforts have not been effective.

There are about 7.5 million illegal immigrants among U.S. workers, accounting for nearly 5% of the total labor force. In 2017, approximately 14.6% of agricultural workers were undocumented immigrants. Donald Trump, who took the toughest stance on illegal immigration, declared he would deport all illegal migrants. The Peterson Institute analyzed that deporting 1.3 million people by 2025 would reduce real GDP by 2.1% over three years, and deporting 7.5 million would reduce real GDP by about 12% over three years. Inflation is also expected to rise. The world is watching whether U.S. politics can resolve this difficult issue.

Attorney Donggi Kim · Author of 'The Power of Geopolitics' and 'The Power of the Dollar'